Healing Scars
by mintlumos
Summary: It's two years after the War has ended. Draco finds himself caught up into the lives of the Potter Gang again thanks to Teddy Tonks. As a healer in training, he is working on a scar healing potion and gets help from an old childhood enemy.
1. The Birthday

He was back at the astronomy tower, watching Dumbledore crash out of the window, already dead. He tried to reach out but he couldn't, he was frozen.

Draco sat up with a gasp. All a dream. He put a hand to his sweaty forehead, it was something every night. Dumbledore, Hermione, Crabbe. The screams from the war echoed in his head until it woke him up. He ran his hand up into his white-blonde hair and let out a breath, that was the past, that was two years ago, it was still raw though. He swung his feet over the edge of the bed and put them on the cold floor. He lit the light in his room with a flick of his wand, wane light filling the small room he had decided to take up residence in. He padded out to the library, where he keep the whiskey. Malfoy manor was silent and cold, the only occupant shivered as the cold air hit his sweaty skin. He poured a small glass of fire whiskey, glad for the warmth it spread through his body.

He looked briefly at the family portrait on the wall, Lucius Malfoy stirred slightly to glare back. His father was locked up in Azkaban since the fall of the Dark Lord, his mother had wasted away without him. Try as Draco might, Narssica Malfoy simply faded and crumbled away until he alone was left, the sole heir of the Malfoy name. He walked silently back to his room, his feet disturbing the dust in the hall, he hadn't bothered keeping it clean, no reason to. Draco threw himself back down on his bed and pulled his dark sheets up to his head. Hopefully he could get back to sleep.

There was an insistent tapping. Draco groaned and rolled over. Now what? He muttered darkly to himself as he dragged himself out of bed again, scratching the stubble on his face. Couldn't people wait to send mail at a decent hour. He threw open the back door and harsh sunlight streamed in, maybe it was a decent hour. There was an owl waiting with a letter on its leg. Probably just another schedule change for his apprenticeship. St. Mungo's was nothing if hectic. He sent the owl off and put the letter on the counter. It could wait till after coffee. He went through his normal morning routine; shaved,dressed, glared at the dark shadows under his eyes that refused to go away, and started the coffee. He finally picked up the letter. He raised and eyebrow, it was from famous Harry Potter, odd. He turned it over and slit it open with his wand.

 _Malfoy. Today is Theodore Lupin's 3nd birthday and ever since Ginny mentioned he has a living cousin, he has talked about nothing except you coming to his birthday. I know you don't particularly get along with us, but it would mean a lot to my godson. It starts around 12 at Grimmauld place where I live. Think about it._

Draco paused his reading as noticed there was a weight in the bottom in envelope. "Not likely, Potter." He muttered as he dumped out the contents. Suddenly Draco felt sick, like he was being pulled through a small drain. There was a sickening, spinning feeling and then suddenly Draco collapsed on pavement. He coughed and gasped from the shock as he stood up. He was standing outside a row of houses, and he didn't have his shoes, he hadn't bothered putting on shoes. He looked back down at the letter.

 _I don't believe you have been here before so I have enclosed a portkey for your use._

 _Harry._

"Brilliant." Draco growled. He turned to apparate back to his house when the door swung open. Harry Potter stared at him with an open mouth.

"You actually came?"

Draco hurled the portkey (which was an actual key) at Potter's head. "You might want to warn people about portkeys at the beginning of the letter, Potter!" Draco spat acidly.

Harry dodged the key easily and looked down at Draco's feet. "You're not wearing shoes."

"I just woke up, you blast-ended skrewt!" Draco hissed.

Potter had the nerve to actually laugh. "Never thought I'd see the day." He stood to the side of the door and motioned Draco in. "You're already here, you might as well come in. Teddy's been asking for you."

Draco hesitated.

"You can borrow my slippers."

He still didn't move.

"We have butterbeer."

Draco finally relented with a groan and an eye roll. "Only a few minutes."

Draco immediately regretted his decision as he walked into the living room. The house was full of his least favorite people, people who didn't care for him. There was thatt Weasley girl Harry married, she looked like she was about to give birth at any moment; there was Ron Weasley, they glared at each other; there was Granger, looking at her made him uncomfortable; and there was the werewolf baby. Teddy was running around with bright blue hair and a birthday hat that was apparently enchanted to stay on his head. He stopped dead as he caught sight of Draco.

"Uncle Dwaco!" He launched himself at the unprepared man.

To Draco's horror Teddy wrapped his arms around Draco's knees like a devil's snare vine. Draco tried to pry him off, to no avail. Whatever sticky mess was on him seemed to help him hold on. "Just get...off… let go." Draco tried shaking Teddy of his leg but that just made the toddler giggle more. Teddy grinned up at Draco and to Draco's embarrassment his hair was turning from blue to blonde to match Draco.

Someone to his left laughed. He turned a venomous glare towards Hermione. "You could help, Granger." He grit out of his teeth.

She shrugged. "He looks happy."

"Yes but I'm not happy."

Harry appeared at his side and handed him a bottle of butterbeer. "Yes, but when have you been happy, Malfoy?"

Draco rewarded him with a withering look. Harry simply smiled back. Apparently a six-year rivalry made them immune to his looks.

"Uncle Dwaco!"

Draco finally succeeded in peeling Teddy off his leg. "I am not your uncle, more like a cousin.

Teddy ran off and returned with a toy broomstick. "From Uncle Hawy!"

Draco bit back a smile. It was the exact broom he got for his third birthday.

Harry guided Teddy back over to an open space. "That's right, we still need to show you how to work this!"

Draco was finally left alone. He took a sip of the butterbeer and smoothed out his pant leg.

"Are those Harry's slippers?" Hermione was looking at his feet.

"I don't want to talk about it."

"Aw, come on, ferret, it's a party! Lighten up!" Ron jammed an unwelcome birthday hat on Draco's head.

Draco tried to brush it off, apparently they all had sticking charms on them. "Get. It. Off." He growled at Ron.

"Naw." Ron declined. "It makes you look 10% less awful."

Draco reached for his wand tucked up one sleep. There was suddenly an translucent wall shimmering between the two men. Hermione sighed with exasperation. "Ron we talked about this, Malfoy is an invited guest, behave." She turned to Draco. "Malfoy, you're an invited guest, behave."

Draco put his wand away and sulkily sipped his drink again.

"Cake, Malfoy?" Ginny Weasley was entering the room with a tray. "We already cut it earlier, you missed it."

Draco eyed the cake suspiciously. "No, thanks." He drawled. He noticed Ginny wince and rub her pregnant stomach. He looked her up and down. "About a week out?"

"Yeah, and this hurts like a hippogriff is kicking around inside me." She muttered. Then she looked up surprised. "How did you know?"

"That's right!" Hermione spoke up. "You're studying to be a healer at St. Mungo's!"

"Really?" Ron snorted. "Remind me not to get sick, ow!" He rubbed his arm where Hermione sent a stinging spell at him.

"Behave!" She growed.

They were interrupted by a cheer from Harry. Teddy was hovering a few inches off the ground on his new broom. He raised his little fists in triumph and promptly fell to the floor. Harry picked him up and brushed him off. "Good enough for a first ride, we'll make a quidditch player of you yet!"

They all watched for a while longer as Teddy attempted the broom a few more times. Draco watched with a hollow pit forming in his stomach. With his hair turned blonde, Teddy looked like himself when he was young, it must be the Black in him. Draco didn't like thinking about it, being young, having his family again back before any of the war started. He put down his drink. "I think I'm going to-."

"Draco?"

Draco spun around and almost collapsed on the spot. He thought his Aunt Bellatrix had risen from the dead just long enough to make him break out into a cold sweat. "Aunt Andromeda?" He gasped slightly. Now that he looked at her, his aunt looked much less harsh than Bellatrix, she had some of the softer features that resembled his mother, that made his heart ache.

"Draco! I didn't realize you would be here! Teddy has been asking to meet you." She extended a hand to him. "I don't think we've actually met, I was cast out as a blood traitor before you were born." She chuckled at her own misfortune.

Draco hesitated and then took her hand. Before he could react, his aunt had pulled him into a hug. Draco stiffened. He couldn't remember the last time someone had hugged him. Something that felt uncomfortably like _feelings_ welled up in his throat. He extracted himself from the hug and started backing towards the door. "It was nice to meet you, Aunt Andromeda, best wishes to Teddy, have to go." The words tumbled over each other in his rush to escape out the door. He opened it, stumbled just far enough away and apparated home. He could have sworn someone called his name, but it was lost in the whirl.


	2. The Entrance Hall

Draco took a few deep breathes. He was standing outside Malfoy Manor. The noise the room was gone, the annoying people were gone, the woman that looked like his mother was gone. He ran his hands through his hair, he was alone again.

"Um.."

Draco gave an unmanly screech and lept a few inches off the ground. Granger was standing behind him looking awkward.

"Granger! What in Merlin's beard!" He was at a loss of how to continue, his heart had taken up residence next to his vocal chords.

"I, um, was going to remind you about Harry's slippers. You apperated at the moment I touched you."

Draco bent down and put his hands on his knees. "You almost killed me!" he wheezed.

Hermione snorted. "What, are you going to tell your father about this?" She teased and then immediately put her hands over her mouth. "I'm sorry, Malfoy, I didn't think-"

Draco gave her a level glare as he straightened up. "No, I don't think I will, Granger." His voice dripped with sarcasm. "I hear Azkaban isn't accepting visitors these days." He kicked off the slippers. "Here take these back to Potter."

Hermione didn't pick them up, instead she was looking around. "You live here?"

"Yes, Granger, I live here, it happens to be my family home." He snapped.

She looked up at the large front doors. Draco was reminded uncomfortably of the last time she was here. He saw her rub her left arm, apparently she seemed to be thinking the same thing. "Do you think…." She hesitated. "Could I come in for a moment?"

Draco raised an eyebrow. "You want to go in?"

She nodded.

"After what happened here?"

She shrugged. "I don't know. I was wondering….maybe it would be helpful to see it without..."

"Fine, fine. Just a moment." Draco flicked his wand lazily and the front doors opened.

Hermione coughed on the dust the doors had kicked up. "Are you sure you live here?"

"I don't make comments on your personal appearances, I would appreciate if you did the same for my housekeeping!" Draco snapped waspishly. He had to admit, it looked pretty bleak. He lit the lights in the entrance hall, it did little to improve the atmosphere.

He watched as Hermione looked around the room. Draco didn't like her here, it brought back the memories. He could smell the blood, hear her screaming, hear his aunt laughing, taste the iron in his own mouth from biting his tongue. Coward. He had just watched in horror, he hadn't done anything. He forced himself back to the present, pushing back the haunting memories. She hadn't moved from the center of the room. He cleared his throat, and forced open his hands that were suddenly balled into fists. "So?"

Hermione sighed and turned towards him. "I suppose I was wrong. Really the thing I want to do is blast your aunt into a few thousands pieces but Molly beat me to it." She smiled bitterly.

Draco ran a hand through his hair. "There were quite a few people in line behind her for a crack at Aunt Bella."

Hermione examined a dust bunny that wiggles its ears back at her, she gave Draco a look but refrained from commenting.

Draco shifted uncomfortably. "If you're finished…."

She straightened up, putting the dust bunny back in the table. "Yes, sorry. Thanks for letting me in."

Draco held the door open for her. As she passed, he felt a guilty tug at his stomach. "I'm sorry." The words dribbled past his lips before he could stop himself.

She paused and turned back. "What did you say?"

Draco could hear his father's lecture already. "Malfoys do not apologize, Draco. We do not apologize to anyone."

He stared at the wall just above her head, it wasn't hard, she wasn't particularly tall. He took a shaky breath, opened his mouth and his nerves gave out. With a quick movement, he grabbed her by the shoulder, spun her around, shoved her out the door and slammed it shut.

He leaned against it with an angry sigh. Why couldn't he just be normal and apologize!? He jumped at something thudded against the door.

"Malfoy!" Hermione kicked the door again. "What did you say!?" Another kick. "If you've got something to say, say it to my face you ignorant, stuffed, half-witted, slimy excuse for a pure blood!" Each insult was punctuated with a hammered fist to the door; she had spent too much time around the Weasleys.

Draco felt his eyelid twitch, that was it. He yanked the door open again and caught her hand before she could break the door down.

"I said, I'm sorry! You meddling muggleborn!" He roared at her.

SMACK!

Draco's ears were ringing, he couldn't feel anything but pain from the left side of his face. "Just like third year." He found himself thinking.

Hermione waved her stinging hand a few times and yanked her other hand out of his grip. "Apology accepted." She said crisply. With that, she turned sharply on her heels, picked up the slippers and apperated away.

Draco was left alone in his empty house holding his throbbing cheek. He should probably put some ice on that. With a last look outside, he closed the door.


	3. Force of Nature

It was about a month later, Draco was sitting outside on the back patio looking over a letter from his internship supervisor. He had opened all the doors hoping some of the dust bunnies and other occupants that had wandered into the house might get bored and wander outdoors. The ghoul in the attic had become a particular nuisance. He watched a doxy poke its head around the door and then skittered back inside; so much for that idea. He looked back down at the letter, it was outlining the guidelines for his personal medical study.

"Something that will add to the medical world." The healer had said when handing him the letter. "Mine was on the memory-healing properties of mint." She had said with a smile. "The sky's the limit!"

Draco looked up at the particularly cheerful sky. He was sweating slightly but enjoying himself. His father never let him play outside much. "Do you want freckles like the blood-traitor Weasleys?" He would took a sip out of his sweating glass. "Take that, Father." He muttered to himself. He scratched at one of the several ropy scars that crossed his chest, a gift from Potter in their sixth year. Scars…He paused and looked down at the white lines. As far as he knew, there was still no cure for magically induced scars. Potter still had his lightning bolt, Granger still had _Mudblood_ carved into her arm, and he still had his _sectum sempra_ reminder. He scratched his head with the glass. Maybe that could be his study case.

There was a quiet ruffle of feathers and a letter dropped into his lap. He flipped it over and raised an eyebrow, Potter was writing again. He slit it open and smiled wryly; at the head of the letter in big, bold red letters was: NO PORTKEY INCLUDED. Snarky Potter.

 _Malfoy, we are having another gathering and Teddy had been talking my ear off about showing off his flying skills to Uncie Dwaco. It's tomorrow at 2 at my place._

"I'm not going." Draco tossed the letter aside.

"I'm not going." Draco muttered as he walked down Diagon Alley.

"I'm not going." He nodded thanks to the cashier at Flourish and Blotts.

"I'm not going." Draco murmured as he fell into bed.

"Dammit." Draco looked up at the door to Grimmauld Place. He looked down, at least he had his dragon hide shoes on today. He raised a hand to knock and the door opened to save him the embarrassment.

Harry raised an eyebrow. "The wonderment never ceases."

"Potter." Draco growled.

Harry grinned. "You look like the house elf when you do that." He waved Draco inside.

Draco stepped inside, slightly shocked. " _You_ have a house elf?"

Harry closed the door. "He was the Black's and he kinda came with the place. We get along now, should have seen the uptight grump when Sirius lived here."

"Uncle Dwaco!"

Draco reached for his leg too late, Teddy had already fastened himself around it.

"We talked about this, it's Cousin Draco."

Teddy only giggled in reply.

"Why don't you take him to the backyard to show him your broom?" Harry ruffled Teddy's half green, half blonde hair.

Teddy snatched Draco's hand and started yanking him through the house. Draco saw a blur of a few other people before he found himself in the small backyard.

Teddy was clambering onto his toy broom and kicking two feet into the air; he wobbled but stayed afloat and in control.

"Very nice." Draco commented dryly. He wasn't sure what sort of praise you were suppose to give a toddler.

He glanced behind him as he heard the door open and close.

"Aunt Andromeda." He greeted his aunt nervously.

She smiled amiably and stood next to him watching Teddy putter around the lawn. " I heard from Hermione that you're studying to be a healer."

Draco nodded. "I am."

She smiled again. "I don't know if she ever told you, but your mother was considering the same profession at one time."

Draco looked down at his shoes. "She did, actually."

"It's nice that you can carry on part of her legacy."

Draco felt his throaty close uncomfortably, he coughed to clear it. "Sorry, something in my throat, I think I'll go get something to drink." He excused himself and backed through the door hurriedly, he let out a breath on the other side and walked towards the kitchen rubbing his eyes, he really shouldn't have come.

"Oh, hullo, Malfoy."

Malfoy stopped short and looked up. Apparently he had turned himself around because he was in the living room instead of the kitchen. Hermione was sitting on the couch rocking a cradle gently back and forth.

"Mind your volume." She said softly. "I just got him to sleep."

"Him?" Malfoy stood on his tiptoes leaning towards the crib curiously.

"You didn't know?" Hermione gently pushed the blankets down from the face. "Ginny and Harry had their baby."

Draco chanced a few steps closer and leaned over. The baby was brand new; soft, downy black hair stuck up in odd spikes and curls.

"This is James Sirius." Hermione introduced him.

Draco found himself crouching next to the crib, looking at the sleeping baby in awe. The healers at St. Mungo had always insisted the maternity ward was for witches only, he hadn't been allowed near the newborns. "He's so tiny." he whispered, mostly to himself. Draco reached out one long finger and brushed it along the tiny baby knuckles on one hand. So little, so new, so innocent.

"Um, Malfoy, you're, um…"

Draco looked up. Hermione was staring at him with a shocked expression. To his continued embarrassment, he realized that tears were falling down his cheeks. He jumped up and walked briskly for the door, wiping his eyes hurriedly. He shouldn't have come.

He was most of the way to the door when he heard running footsteps behind him.

" . 't!" Someone hissed behind him. He was suddenly yanked backwards and slammed against the wall. It was Hermione,and she didn't look happy. Draco was reminded of several times they had butted heads in school, her hair seemed to gain volume with her temper.

" _Muffliato!"_ She waved her wand over their heads. "You!" She flicked her wand under his chin, jabbing him uncomfortably. "You need to stop this, right now!"

"Stop what?! _You_ accosted _me_!" Draco snapped back.

"Running!" Her eyes were flashing with temper. "Every time you start to act just a little bit human, every time I start thinking 'He might have actually grown up' you go and pull things like this! You keep running from emotions, people, relationships! If you really want redemption-"

"What? I don't want redemption, I don't need your pit-" Draco started to argue.

"Of course you do!" Hermione's volume drowned him out. "You were on the wrong side of the war and you know it! You aren't a heartless snake like your father! You feel guilty, and that's good! You should! You want to help, why else would you study to be a healer? Why else would you be here for Teddy? You need to stop being a coward and face the emotions they bring up!"

"Well there's a reason I wasn't put in Gryffindor." Draco sneered.

"Even snakes can have courage!" She shouted over him again.

She took a shaky breath in an effort to calm down. Draco was still flattened against the wall, stunned. He didn't realize Hermione was watching him that closely or at all.

She lowered her wand. "If you want to start making up for what you did, for all those years of stupid school rivalry, start with the people you hurt the most." She waved a hand back towards the house. "Start with the Potters, start with your cousin who doesn't have parents either, start here."

She finally backed away, allowing Draco room to breath. "No one is going to fault you for crying. We all cried a lot after the war, we just got ours over with sooner. It just shows you have a heart somewhere in that mess."

Draco blinked, still stunned, he felt like a hurricane had just whipped past him, taking most of his pride with it.

"Come on." She motioned him back towards the party. He hesitated. She sighed, reached over and took one of his hands. "Come on, garden snake, Ginny was asking for you." Draco mutely allowed himself to be led back to the kitchen.

"Here he is, Ginny." Hermione deposited him in a chair. "I'm going to go check on James."

She walked away, Draco still feeling like the tide had washed him up on the beach after a thorough beating. Ginny set a tea mug in front of him. "She's like a force of nature when she gets riled up, right?" She smiled sympathetically.

"Yeah." Draco muttered into the mug, taking a sip. "You were asking for me?"

"Oh right!" Ginny sat down across the table. "I was wondering if you would give James a quick examination."

"Is everything alright?" Draco could feel himself slipping in Healer mode, the face he used around St. Mungo's.

"Well, yes, except."

They were interrupted by a wail. Ginny sighed and looked up to the ceiling for strength. "He doesn't sleep well."

Draco noticed that she had dark shadows around her eyes much like his own. "I could give him a look, I'm not an expert in children but-"

"I would appreciate it."

She got up and motioned towards the living room. On their way, they ran into Teddy walking in from the back.

"Uncle Dwaco!" He stuck out a lip. "You didn't watch!"

"I did, I just, um, oh!" Draco reached into his jacket pocket and pulled out a parcel. "Happy birthday, sorry it's late."

Draco's early departure immediately forgotten and forgiven, Teddy ripped the paper off of _Quidditch Through the Ages_.

"It's got a lot of big words but it also has pictures." Draco was suddenly second-guessing his gift. Teddy, on the other hand, threw his arms around Draco's abused knee. "Thank you, Uncle Dwaco."

"Cousin Draco." He corrected with a helpless sigh, he had a feeling it wouldn't stick.

They heard another wail and Ginny guided him into the living room. Hermione was rocking James in her arms attempting to quiet him. "Sorry, Ginny, he just woke up and…"

"I know." Ginny said tiredly. She took James and held him out to Draco. He looked at the small bundle nervously. "Um, you can hold him, it would make it easier to exam him."

Ginny looked at him suspiciously. "Have you held a baby?"

"Yes!" Draco snapped. "Well, no, not really." his voice trailed off lamely. "The witch's at St. Mungo are rather possessive of the infants." He straightened his jacket. "In any case. I'll take a look." He barely had to look at the crying baby before he said. "Colic. Common problem with newborns, there's a potion that you can feed him after his milk that will fix that up." He reached for a paper and quill on a nearby table. "Just pick some up in Diagon Alley."

"Oh, thanks, um, that's rather helpful of you." Ginny said, startled by his quick diagnostic.

"That's the idea." Draco sniffed as he handed her the paper and walked back to the kitchen. The rest of the party was gathered around the long table chatting about Hogwarts houses.

"Ted and Dora loved being in Hufflepuff." Andromeda was saying. "They were right next to the kitchen and they made great friends with the house elves that worked there. They would leave little gifts for the elves and they were always getting extra food delivered to their dorm in return."

"Gifts?" Hermione appeared around the door. "Like clothes?"

"Heavens, no!" Andromeda said. "Like potted flowers or enchanted dishware. The house elves would have hated clothing!"

"But clothes-" Hermione started.

"No!" Harry, Ginny, and Ron chorused together, stopping her in her tracks. "We are not discussing S.P.E.W., Hermione, let it go!" Harry groaned.

"What's S.P.E.W.?" Draco asked unthinkingly.

Hermione turned to him with appreciation and excitement dancing in her eyes, everyone else looked like they wished they all had their wands handy for a few curses.

"Why it's the Society for the Promotion of Elfish Welfare. I started it in our fourth year to-"

Draco held up a hand. "I'm sorry I asked."

Hermione gave him a heated glare but everyone else looked relieved.

"I heard healing interns at St. Mungo's have to do a personal study in medicine to pass their examination. Is that right?" Andromeda quickly switched subjects.

"Yes, I just started mine as a matter of fact."

She smiled engagingly. "Really? What are you doing yours on?"

Draco swallowed the lump in his throat and looked at the tea mug, his mother's face fading in and out of his aunt's. "Um, I'm thinking of doing it on the curation of magically induced scars."

"Really?" Half of the heads at the table snapped up in interest.

He was taken aback slightly, he didn't think it would be a popular topic. "Yes." He said hesitantly.

"Including magical creatures?" Ron asked.

Draco waited for an insult to be tacked onto the end of the sentence, but to his surprise, none came. "I suppose so."

Ron rolled up his sleeve to show his right arm which was covered in faint swirls of scars.

"What in hell did that?" Draco leaned forward.

"Some brain creatures in the department of mysteries took a liking to me."

"Interesting." Draco murmured taking the arm and poking the scar. "No raising, definitely had the properties of-"

"The bloody hell do you think you're doing?" Ron shrieked and snatched his arm away.

"Examining you." Draco drawled coldly. "Unless you were offering your arm for a dance in which case I have to tell you, you're not my type."

Ginny next to him giggled and Ron's ears turned red.

"That's interesting." Hermione was looking into the distance, unfocused. "There's no known cure for scars like that yet. It would be a challenging study."

Draco glanced at the clock on the wall, his shift started soon enough to be an excuse to leave. "I'll be going, I have to work. Potter, thanks for the invitation."

He stood and found his knee attacked again. He sighed and frowned down at his grinning cousin. "I'll see you later." He shook his leg until Teddy came off.

"I'll walk you out." Hermione got up.

Draco didn't fancy being trapped in another hallways with her and he hurried to the door to lessen the chances of another life lecture.

She stood at the open door watching him walk down the steps. "That wasn't so bad was it?"

Draco grimaced at her. She looked so smug he wasn't going to give her the satisfaction of an answer. "S.P.E.W.'s a rubbish name." He got off one last insult as he turned and disappeared.


	4. The book

**A/n: thank you so much for the reviews and comments, they make my heart happy! I will try to update this often but as I am struggling with first trimester sickness, I can't make promises. Thanks again for reading!**

"Oh, this one has an excellent chapter about blood spells and the after effects that you might find handy!"

Draco winced as another book was added to the sizable stack that he was balancing in his arms. He shifted the weight of them, which only caused the corner of the bottom book to dig into his arm uncomfortably. The witch at _Flourish and Blotts_ seemed to be taking considerable delight in finding any book that might apply to Draco's inquiry, as numerable as that might be.

"Are we about through?" Draco gasped slightly, his arms were starting to shake.

The witch was looking at a shelf and tapping her chin in deep thought.

"While we're still young." Draco muttered crossly.

"I think that will do it for now." She finally pronounced.

Draco wobbled over to the desk and shifted the books out of his arms with a sigh of relief. He started rummaging through his money bag when there was a jingle at the front door.

The store clerk looked up and beamed. "If it isn't my favorite customer!"

Draco didn't even have to look up, there was only one witch who would be so cozy with a bookstore owner. "Granger." He said flatly, still counting up coins.

Hermione appeared at his shoulder, reading the spines of his books as they were placed in bags. "For your medical study?"

"Yes, if you must know." Draco handed over the coins and started collecting bags.

"I don't have to know, I was attempting to be friendly." Hermione rolled her eyes at him.

Draco picked up the last sack of books with something of a wince. She raised an eyebrow. "Need help with that?"

"No!" He snapped, feeling his cheeks heat slightly. "I'm perfectly capable of holding my own school books, Granger." He turned on the spot and walked briskly for the door, something orange flashed by his feet and Draco suddenly found himself face down on the floor groaning.

He looked up into a very grumpy, squashed face of an orange cat.

"Crookshanks!" Hermione hurried over and snatched the cat off the floor. "You were suppose to stay in the bag!"

"Granger." Draco called from the floor.

"Yes?" Hermione sounded slightly abashed.

"Is that monstrosity of fur your cat?"

"Yes." She says slowly.

"Good, I know where to send the apology flowers after I kill him." Draco growled as he slowly got off the floor. He looked around at his books lying around the floor with a sour expression.

"Oh, don't be silly." Hermione deposited Crookshanks into her bag and started collecting Draco's books. "You're unharmed and I'll help you."

Draco allowed her to help him collect his books, glaring at the bag which glared back with amber eyes.

"There." Hermione slipped the last bag over his arm. "And none the worse for it."

"Says you." Draco rubbed his sore arms. "See you." He hurried out the door, letting it slam behind him. He didn't like how she kept popping up. He never would have admitted it, but of the three friends; Harry, Ron and Hermione, she scared him the most. Ron was all talk and muscles, Harry didn't seem interested in the old school rivalry anymore, but Hermione…..

Draco tsk'ed angrily to himself, He was spending too much time brooding over it, over her. She didn't deserve the time. He started off towards the Leaky Cauldron, he might as well get a drink while looking through a few of the books.

An hour and three whiskeys later, Draco was feeling less irritable. He had found some interesting passages in the books that looked promising for his study. He was going to have to do some potion brewing at home, he should probably stop by the apothecary before leaving. Potions wasn't his strongest subject, but wasn't his worst either. He wished vaguely that his old head of house, Snape was around to give him some help. He watched the ice in his glass fall slightly. Snape. Draco had always liked him, mostly because Snape had given him special treatment, a friend of the family helping hand. He had been sorry to hear that Snape was done in by the war. It had been a month after it had ended that he had heard the whole story, about Snape's double life, his spying, his true motives.

"Seems a silly thing to get hung up about." Draco had said to his Mother after she had told him. "Some childhood crush. Should have just moved on from some stupid Mudblood."

His mother had just looked at him with a sad smile. "People do strange and stupid things for love."

A book slammed on the table and Draco jumped slightly, being yanked back to the present. The last person he wanted to see sat herself across the table.

"What do you want, Granger? Come to maul me with your cat?"

She took a sip of what looked like butterbeer; she probably didn't drink any alcohol, Draco thought vaguely, far too uptight for that. "More of a peace offering." She pushed the book towards him. "I noticed it wasn't in the books you bought and might help your study."

Draco lazily pulled the book around to read the title, _Theory of Relational Magics._ He opened it and glaced at the heavy language and small script. "Well, that's a page turner." He snorted sarcastically. "Use it for light bedtime reading?"

She rolled her eyes. "You're a real prat sometimes."

"Most of the time." He corrected her, flipping a page. "It helps keep people out of my way-." He glanced up at her. "-usually."

She seemed to take this as a compliment for some reason, grinning into her mug.

"So why this book?" Draco asked. He didn't really want to read the whole thing if she already had a chapter in mind.

She took the book, spun it around and started flipping pages. "I've been thinking about your scar study and I thought that maybe it might have to do something with the wizard who gives the injury more than the injury itself, that's why it can't be cured by normal means. So I started looking through my books for some support and found this chapter." She spun the book back towards him.

Draco didn't read it, he was looking at her curiously. "It's only been a day, Granger, you've given it this much thought and study already?"

She leaned her head on her hand, leafing through one of his other books. "To be honest, I've gotten quite bored since graduating last year. School kept me busy and active in my studies, but now…." Her head hit the table as she groaned, Draco rescued his glass before any of her curls could start swimming in it. "I'm so bored, there's been nothing to research or study, no mystery to solve." She picked her head back up and went back to browsing the book. "When you mentioned your study it sounded hard enough to be interesting to research."

Draco blinked, and then he laughed. "And here I didn't think you drank alcohol." He chortled.

She looked at him, confused.

He finished off his glass with a swig. "You don't drink your intoxicants, you read them." He sneered slightly. "You can't go without something to research or study."

She glared at him. "Knowledge is not an intoxicant." She sniffed.

"Are you sure you're a Gryffindor?" Draco gave her a teasing grin. "You really sound like a Ravenclaw."

She took the heavy book and lifted it to his face. "Read the passage, garden snake." She sighed.

He took the book, and focused his eyes on the page.

 _Relations through Curses_

 _There has been the theory started in Egypt that curses and spells that are cast against an opponent are strengthened and weakened depending on the relationship between the dueling wizards and less on the spells themselves. There has been some supportive data to this idea in the form of testimonies from wizards who claim to have more success in spells against those towards whom they bear more animosity._

Draco blinked a few times, he had had one too many whiskeys for this. "Meaning what?" He asked looking up.

Granger rolled her eyes impatiently. "You remember the _cruciatus_ curse?"

"No, forgot all about it." He rolled his eyes back.

"You really had to mean it to do harm, you had to want to do harm to your victim. This says that most offensive spells are like that, the effect is related to the relationship between the people."

Draco sat up slightly. "So you're saying that the scars that might have been caused by a curse, might be linked to the wizard who gave it?"

Hermione smiled, finally connecting. "Exactly! Something to consider."

Draco looked at her with a new appreciation. "You might actually be onto something for once, Granger."

He pulled the book towards him, Hermione's hand reached out and stopped its progress. "My help comes with a price."

He tugged on the book but her grip was unyielding. "I thought this was a peace offering."

"It is." She straightened up. "If we're going to get past the school years, we should be on a first-name basis."

Draco paused, flicking his eyes back up at her. "What?"

"I prefer to be called Hermione, not Granger." She said crisply.

He took his hand off the book and gave her a cold, level look. "If you have any notion that for some reason I wanted to be friends with the likes of you-"

"Oh for Merlin's sake!" Hermione snapped, her temper starting to flash in her eyes. "I'm not asking to be friends, goodness knows that's out of the question. I'm just asking to not be enemies! The war is over!"

They sat, glaring warily at each other for a while, neither spoke.

Draco cracked his neck and sighed. "Fine, _Hermione._ Can I have the book now?"

She smiled primly and pushed it towards him. "Yes you may, _Draco."_

He threw his payment on the table and stood up. "Sounds terrible, the way you say it." He said making a face. With that, he took his packages and apparated home, where he realized with a groan that he had forgotten the apothecary. "Tomorrow." He muttered, and walked inside.


	5. The Test

Draco wiped sweat from his forehead. "No, not dragon liver." He muttered to himself. He riffled through the pages in his potions book. It had been two weeks since the start of his study and his kitchen was a mess. He had turned it into a potion brewing station, though less orderly than his old potions master had kept his. Ingredients were scattered all over the counters, scribbled notes and books were lying open in various states of cleanliness, and three different cauldrons were each holding different, half-made potions. He chewed on the end of his quill thoughtfully, running a long finger down a recipe for a stitching potion. "Maybe the sap is the adhesive." He murmured.

There was a hiss and one of the potions turned from green to white. He leaned over and stirred it frowning. It wasn't exactly what he had been hoping for, he was still missing something. His eyes fell on the book Hermione had given him. "Connections…" he mused to himself. An idea struck him and he walked back to the library.

It seemed a little outlandish, but that's where people usually went when discovering something new. He ran his hand along the shelf until he found it, a small purple volume that was his mother's, _Enchanting the Heart._ He made a face, there were far too many hearts adorning the cover for any male to be comfortable holding it. He flipped it open to the love potions section. "Butterfly wings." He tapped the page. Butterfly wings were used to establish connections between people for a love potion, why not for other potions. He closed the book with a snap as he went back to the kitchen, he was pretty sure he had a jar of wings somewhere.

An hour later he straightened up, pleased with himself; the potion was a thick silvery color, what he was hoping for. He undid the top buttons of his shirt, dipped his finger in the warm potion and then ran it along one of his scars, he watched in a mirror and waited as the silver sunk into his skin. He huffed a breath of annoyance, nothing. He looked back down at the potion thoughtfully. If this whole thing had to do with connections….he rubbed his chin thoughtfully, maybe he needed the person that had given him the scars. His shoulders drooped in annoyance. That meant Potter. Muttering curses under his breath, his poured some potion into a bottle, capped it, yanked on his coat and walked out the back door.

He glowered up at number 12 Grimmauld Place. He couldn't believe he was back here again. He grumbled angrily to himself as he knocked.

Potter answers the door after a while. He looked at Draco in confusion. "Malfoy! What are you doing here? Teddy isn't-"

"Yes, I know." Draco snapped ungraciously. "I'm here to talk to you."

Still looking confused Harry opened the door wider and motioned him in.

Ten minutes and a long explanation later, Draco placed the bottle on the kitchen table.

"So." Harry picked up the bottle. "You think I have to apply it for the scar to disappear?"

Draco suddenly remembered how little sleep he had gotten lately. "That's my latest theory, yes." He gave Harry an unpleasant look. "It's not my favorite theory."

Harry shrugged and uncorked the bottle. "Alright, let's get this over with."

Draco unbuttoned his shirt as Harry sniffed the potion tentatively. Harry dipped a clean dishcloth into the bottle and paused, looking awkwardly at Draco. "So I just,um."

"Just dab some on a scar!" Draco hissed, feeling as uncomfortable as Harry looked.

Harry tentatively touched the cloth to a scar that ran along Draco's collarbone.

"Hello, boys."

They both jumped. "He asked me to!" Harry sputtered as he whirled around. Ginny, holding James, and Hermione were standing in the kitchen doorway. They had apparently walked in from shopping without Harry or Draco noticing; they were also wearing identical, wide grins.

"Don't let us interrupt." Ginny smiled mischievously.

"We, he... testing potion." Harry muttered.

Draco was busy checking the scar in the hand mirror. "Nothing." He grumbled.

"Well, if you were going for the connection angle," Hermione picked up the bottle to examine it. "You probably shouldn't be using a cloth, Harry, try with your finger."

Harry, still pink around the ears, dipped a finger in and, with as little contact possible, brushed his finger along the scar again. The silver slowly sunk into his skin and in its wake, new pink skin appeared instead of the white scar.

"It worked!" Draco breathed.

"It worked!" Hermione grinned.

"It worked." Harry gave a sigh of relief.

"Hold on." Hermione dipped her own finger into the potion. "Let's see if it works with other people."

Draco tried not to squirm away as she ran a finger along another scar on his chest. It didn't take, the white line still remained.

"Oh, I don't know, Hermione." Ginny looked at his chest, biting back a grin. "I think you should try again."

Draco snatched the bottle back and corked it with unnecessary force. "I think that's quite enough testing!" He snapped acidly.

"You didn't want to fix the rest?" Harry asked.

"I didn't come to get fixed, Potter, I came to test out the potion." Draco began buttoning up his shirt.

Hermione picked up the bottle he had put down. "I wonder if it works only for the person who gave the curse."

Draco paused on the last button and glanced at her. He had a feeling she was thinking about her own scar. His aunt Bella was dead, she couldn't heal Hermione's scar, not that she would have lifted a finger to help a mudblood. "I haven't had a chance to test it, this was really my first try with it." He looked at the potion thoughtfully. "Maybe it would work with a blood relative, the closer the better. It's only a theor-"

Hermione grabbed his shoulder and with a pop, they apparated.

Draco collapsed on the walkway, gasping. "The bloody hell!?" He yelled, trying to get his vision to focus. "Why would you do that, you git!?" He glared at Hermione, who did look guilty.

"Sorry! Sorry! I got excited and wasn't thinking." She tried to help him up but he shook her off, standing and looking around.

"Where are we?"

That was answered when a small bluish blur suddenly appeared out of nowhere and launched itself at Draco's knees, knocking him back to the ground.

"Uncle Dwaco!"

"Oh, nevermind." He growled.

Hermione pulled Teddy off, allowing Draco to get off the ground. "Teddy, what did we practice?"

Teddy's face screwed up in concentration and then lit up. He cleared his throat. "Uncle Dwraco."

"Draco." Hermione corrected.

"Drrrraco." Teddy grinned.

"Cousin Draco." Draco corrected half-heartedly, brushing off his pants. "But it's an improvement.

The door of the house opened and aunt Andromeda stood in the door waving them in.

Teddy insisted on holding Draco's hand and pulling him inside. "You 'ave to read my book!" He let go long enough to hand Draco his quidditch book.

"Later, Teddy." Aunt Andromeda picked him up and sat him in her lap. "Let's see what our guests want first."

She smiled up at Draco waving them to seats around the table. "It's lovely to see you again! I was about to make some tea, would you like any?"

"Um, no, thank you. We were actually hoping you could help with something." Hermione said slightly breathless.

Draco looked at her out of the corner of his eye. She looked rather excited, too excited. As she put the potion down on the table and started to explain, he tapped her on the shoulder. "A word, Hermione?" He stood up and gestured towards the hall.

She looked a little shocked when he called her by her first name but nodded.

"Excuse us a moment, Aunt Andromeda." He stood and Hermione followed him into the hall.

"Look." He turned to face her, lowering his voice so only she could hear. "I know you're excited, but you really shouldn't get your hopes up. It's very experimental and specific. There's no guarantee that it will work with a blood relative, in fact, I don't expect it to work, neither should you."

Hermione looked down at her feet, fiddling with one of her curly locks of hair. "I know." She said quietly. "You're right, I got carried away."

Draco felt the guilty tug in his stomach again. He cleared his throat and straightened his shirt sleeves, the wrinkles suddenly catching his attention.

"Right, well." He turned back towards the dining room. "Are you ready to try, with realistic expectations?"

She let out a breath and nodded with a small smile. "Sure."

They explained the potion over tea which Andromeda had made anyways. She nodded attentively and smiled as they finished. "And you think I can help?"

Draco took a sip of tea, she made it similarly to his mother, of course she did. "Aunt Bella gave Hermione a parting gift. As the closest relative to her, we wanted to see if it would work if you put it on the scar."

"Most certainly!" She said immediately, uncorking the bottle. "Let's see it."

Hermione rolled up her left sleeve and Andromeda's face froze and turned white. After a moment she said. "Teddy, would you get more biscuits from the basement?"

Teddy was more than willing, he scampered off, Andromeda watching until he was out of earshot. She turned back to Hermione's arm, a look of horror on her face. "What happened!?" She gasped.

"Aunt Bella." Draco said in a dark tone.

"I know, but, but." Andromeda ran a shaky finger over the raised letters _mudblood._ "How horrible!" She looked like she was about to cry. "You poor thing, no wonder you want to get rid of it." She looked up at Hermione with watery eyes.

Hermione managed a small smile. "It's not so bad anymore. You learn to live with it."

Andromeda ran a motherly hand through Hermione's hair. "No one should have to live with such things."

Draco dropped his eyes to the table. His own left arm was suddenly burning, reminding him.

There was the sound of small footsteps returning up the stairs. Andromeda brushed a quick hand across her eyes and smiled. "Right well, let's see if we can't fix it up." She put some of the potion on her finger and ran it gently over Hermione's scar. All three waited, holding their breath. The silver sunk in, leaving the accusatory _mudblood_ in its wake. All three sighed with disappointment.

"I'm so sorry, Hermione, dear." Andromeda took Hermione's hand and squeezed it. Hermione smiled shakily back. "It's alright, it was a long shot. Thank you for trying."

"Anytime." Andromeda sadly smiled.

There was a tug at Draco's hip. He looked down and a crumb-covered Teddy was shoving a book up towards him, grinning.

Draco sighed and rolled his eyes. "Oh, alright, one book." He was secretly glad of the distraction from the failed experiment.

He allowed himself to be dragged over to the couch where Teddy clambered up next to him and gave him the book. Draco read the title. " _Ten Little Hippogriffs_? Salazar, you'll never get into Slytherin reading drivel like this!" He stood up and walked over to the book case. "Let's see, something more substantial, ah!" He pulled a small book off the shelf and sat back down. " _Tales of Beedle the Bard_ , much better." He flipped it open to the story of _Fountain of Fair Fortune_ and began to read.

"Draco." Someone was calling his name.

"Mmm." He murmured, still unwilling to move, he was comfortable.

"Draco, it's late, we should go." The someone nudged his shoulder.

He slowly blinked his eyes open. It was later, the clock on the wall said it was six o'clock. He felt a warm weight on his side. Teddy was asleep, his small arm thrown over Draco's middle, his blonde head resting on his ribs. Draco felt the uncomfortable knot of feelings rising up in his throat. Hermione was leaning over, shaking Draco's shoulder gently. "Draco?"

"I'm up." He rasped slightly. He cleared his throat and carefully sat up, holding the sleeping Teddy steady.

"His room is this way." Hermione whispered, pointing over her shoulder.

Draco hesitated and then reluctantly picked up Teddy and carried him in the direction indicated. Hermione led him to a room covered in toys, Draco looked at the maze that led to the bed with trepidation. Hermione pulled out her wand and waved it, clearing a path. Draco carefully put Teddy down on the bed and quickly backed away. He stopped at the doorway and glanced back. All he could see was a blonde-headed boy sleeping peacefully, unaware of the world. He closed the door quickly, he could feel the tears already dripping down his cheeks. He wiped them away quickly. If Hermione noticed, she had the decency to act like she didn't.

They said goodbye to Aunt Andromeda who gave them both a hug and an invitation to return at any time. Draco didn't fight the hug, he was too emotionally exhausted to try. He returned the hug loosely and tried to not think too much about his mother, the last time he was hugged, the last time she had hugged him. The summer air had cooled slightly and he breathed it in eagerly, trying to clear his muddled brain.

"Thanks for trying." Hermione said quietly as they walked towards the road. "I know it was a long shot but-"

"I'll keep trying." Draco interrupted. "It will have more value to the healing market the more widely effective it is."

Hermione looked slightly surprised but she nodded. "If you ever need help, just let me know."

He nodded tiredly. "Sure, whatever." He gave her a curt nod, preparing to apparate. "Later."

"Draco…" Hermione started.

He stopped and waited.

She looked like she was conflicted about something, fiddling with her curls; she finally took a deep breath and looked up at at him. "It wasn't your fault."

Something filled with lead dropped into Draco's chest. His expression didn't change, he didn't move.

"I don't know what you thought about that day but, it wasn't your-"

Draco turned sharply and apparated away, leaving Hermione alone in the yard.


	6. The Photobook

Draco gripped the edge of the sink till his knuckles turned white. _Not your fault_. Hermione's words were ringing in his ears. He snapped around and pointed his wand at a a vase. " _Reducto_!" The vase turned into dust, it didn't help settle the storm. He stomped outside, kicked open the shed and yanked out his Nimbus 2001. He kicked savagely off the ground and shot up into the sky. The cold air whistled against his skin, whipping through his hair. He pulled to a stop thirty feet in the air and hung there, breathing hard. What did she know? She couldn't understand. He sat up straight on the broom, hooked his feet around it and turned over, dropping ten feet before righting himself and swooping back up. He felt slightly calmer. He leaned over until his cheek rested against the broom handle, his arms dangling over the sides. He turned lazy circles high above the lawn.

It was his fault, all of it, he could have stopped it, he could have spoken out, he hadn't. He could have never fixed that cabinet, he could have warned Dumbledore, he could have told his father to go to hell. Coward. He looked down at his arm, the faded dark mark poking out of his sleeve, reminding him it was all his fault. Whatever he did, it was like a lead weight, dragging him down. Everytime he mended a bone, regrew someone's eyebrow, took someone's charmed wings off, it whispered to him, "It's not enough, it will never be enough."

Draco landed on the lawn and rolled over on the grass, looking up at the night sky. _Never enough_ and _It's wasn't your fault_ battled back and forth in his head. He rolled over and pushed himself up. If he could get rid of Hermione's scar, maybe it would be enough.

Two weeks later, Draco was still stuck. He slouched on the couch moodily, watching a dustbunny poke its head out from underneath the couch. He couldn't think of a weakening agent that would allow for blood relatives to have the same effect as the original potion. Most of his attempts had blown up in his face. He ran his eyes over the bookshelves, he hadn't found anything useful in them. He groaned and ran his hands over his face, he was so tired and he still had his healer shift later today. He had been woken up in the middle of the night by his aunt's screaming laugh as she set fire to the gamekeeper's hut. Hogwarts. He looked up at the ceiling. Maybe the potions teacher at Hogwarts would know a solution to his problem. That would be Slughorn, but Slughorn didn't care for Draco and as it was well known, Slughorn was slow to help those would couldn't help him. "Typical Slytherin." Draco muttered. Maybe he could get one of Slughorn's favorites to help him out, write to Slughorn for him. He could think of three: Potter, Ginny, and Hermione. He grimaced, he didn't want to enlist help from any of those.

He grumbled to himself all the way to St. Mungo's and through most of his shift. He was writing a report on his last patient, still debating whether to write himself or not when someone called behind him.

"Malfoy!"

Draco jumped, spilling ink over the desk. It was Madam Goldron, his supervisor. She chuckled as he mopped up ink. "Jumpy today, aren't we?"

"Sorry, just a lot on my mind." Draco finally came to his senses and vanished the ink with his wand.

"Well, I just thought I would pop by before you left and see how your study was coming."

"It's going alright." Draco said straightening up. "I've hit a bump in the road at the moment." He admitted.

"Oh?" She nodded for him to continue.

"It's the potion I'm developing. I need a sort of diluting agent. I can't seem to find any helpful references."

Goldron shrugged airily. "Can't help you there, I was rubbish at potions, herbology was my favorite. Can't think of a plant that fits the description. Rowan sap maybe, no, that's more of a binding agent." She smiled apologetically. "I would find a potions master to help you out, no shame in enlisting help!"

Draco looked down at the floor. "Right."

"Here."

Draco looked up in time to catch a bottle. It was labeled _Dreamless Sleep_.

"You're starting to look a bit ghostly, Malfoy. Try to get some sleep." She fluttered her fingers and disappeared.

Draco slipped the potion into his pocket, he didn't tell her it was useless. His mind turned back to his problem and he glared at the floor, he had been thinking about it all day, of the three people, the one least likely to draw suspicion from Slughorn with his questions was the meddling muggle-born. He kicked his desk moodily but then with a groan of frustration, he yanked out a sheet of parchment and composed his letter. Draco dragged himself to the hospital owlrey and tied it to the leg of one of them. "For Hermione Granger." He sighed resignedly. The owl took off, taking the letter with him.

Two days later, Draco was capping off a fourth bottle of his scar potion, he would need several to present and to test with, he had used up the last batch in a rather disappointing experiment that had turned into smoke and curled away. As he put in the cork, there was a pop from outside the house. He looked up, did someone just apparate into his yard? his wand ready in his hand, he poked his head out the back door, he didn't see anyone. Then a knock at the front door made him jump. Ignoring the door, he walked through the side yard and peered around the corner of the house.

"What do you want?" He barked as he caught sight of her.

Hermione jumped with a yelp and swiveled around until she found him. "Strange way of answering your door."

"I don't use the front door." He motioned her to follow and headed back for the kitchen door.

Hermione gaped in horror as she entered. "This is where you're brewing?!" Her voice raised an octave and her eyebrows disappeared into her hair….her hair. Draco frowned, something was different.

"What did you do?"

Hermione was still looking around like there was blood splattered on the walls and bodies hanging from the ceiling. "What did I do? What did you do?! This is a nightmare! It's a wonder you got any potion to work!"

"I meant with your hair."

She took a break from being horrified long enough to touch her hair, confused. "Huh? Oh! I had a job interview today at the ministry, I thought I should look the part. Two hours of work, hardly worth it."

Draco wasn't sure if he would agree. It was sleek and shiny and fell in wave around one shoulder in a pleasing fashion. He had a flashback to the Yule ball of fourth year, to a witch in blue gliding by on the arm of Krum.

"Draco!"

Draco snapped back with a start. Apparently he had been staring from the look she was giving him. "What?"

"This mess!"

"It's fine, I have a system." He muttered sullenly. "What did you come by for anyways?"

She held out a letter. "Slughorn wrote back."

He reached for it. "You could have just sent an owl."  
She withheld it, suddenly looking suspicious. "Right well, about your letter, you mentioned a library?"

Draco paused and thought back. He had mentioned that he hadn't found anything of help in his library, then it clicked. He crossed his arms and raised an eyebrow. "You want a look at it, don't you."

Hermione was already looking through the doorway. "If it's not trouble." She said with a small smile.

He rolled his eyes, pushed himself off the counter and waved her along. "Fine, just give me the letter."

She handed it over and he opened it as they walked. He was distracted from it as soon as they walked into the library. Hermione let out an uncharacteristically girlish squeak as she gazed around at the walls of books. Draco noticed the Lucius in the portrait was glaring at her with bulging eyes, with a wand wave, a curtain draped itself over the portrait, hiding it from view.

Hermione was already running her hands along the spines of the books. "There's quite a few valuable ones here!" She said breathlessly. She pulled one off the shelf and flipped it open. "This is a first edition! I can't believe you have all these!"

Funny girl, Draco thought. He realized he was half smiling and immediately stopped. "I wouldn't get too excited." He drawled. "I burned quite a few of them, replaced them with school books and medical textbooks. They're not all priceless enough to buy Weasley a new house."

"Burned them!?" Hermione rounded on him, looking at him like he was a mass murderer in need of a dementor kiss.

He fell back into the couch and crossed his legs, returning his attention back to the letter. "I don't think _How to stay Pureblood, Advanced Death Potions_ and _The Dangers of Muggles_ would be something to cry over."

She didn't argue.

The letter started with a long, gushing praise about Hermione and her school work and how Slughorn missed having her in class, some mentions of some promising students and then finally an answer.

 _A curious question! I myself have not looked into such a corner of the potions world, I'm sure you will shine some light for all of us! If I was having problems with the effectiveness of a potion my suggestion would be jackalope horn. Whenever I am creating a potion and need to fudge a little, I use jackalope horn, it seems to be the perfect balance of practical and magical. Hope it helps!_

"Jackalope horn." Draco murmured thoughtfully. He didn't have any, it was a rather expensive ingredient, but one horn would make quite a lot of powder.

He glanced up from the letter. "Looks like I have t-" He had to bite his lip to stop a laugh from escaping. Hermione was sitting on the floor, reading a book with a pile of five more next to her. Draco forced a frown back to his face and cleared his throat. "Hermione."

Her head snapped up. "Yes?"

"What exactly are you doing?" He arched an eyebrow.

"Reading. What's this?" She had caught sight of a green and silver book lying on the side table. She summoned it to her before Draco realized what it was.

"No!" He reached for it and fell off the couch as he failed to catch it going by.

"Oh?" Hermione moved unbelievably fast; she caught the book, stood up and moved across the room. "Your diary?" She smiled teasingly.

"No, just-" Draco sprang up but was too slow, she had already opened it.

"It's a photo book!" She said in surprise. She grinned as she flipped the page. "It's you as a baby! Look at that, you were cute once."

Draco could feel the blood rushing to his ears, turning them pink. "Granger, hand it over!" He made a grab for the book but she spun quickly and he grabbed empty air.

"Granger? I don't think that's the nice way to ask for a book. Oh look! There's the boy I knew and hated." She had flipped through the baby photos and had arrived at his school pictures. "Oh look, there's the Yule Ball! Goodness, Pansy doesn't look happy, and you're not even looking at the camera."

Draco felt his ears turn a shade redder. Over her shoulder, he could see the young Draco in the picture. He was wearing dress robes with his date on his arm, but for some reason he kept looking out the side of the picture, craning his neck trying to see something.

"You look distracted." She chuckled.

Draco, taking advantage of his height, leaned over her and swiftly snatched the book. "That's enough memory lane!" He snapped the book closed and turned on his heels. "If you don't mind, you could go-"

There was a tinkling sound of glass behind him. He looked over his shoulder. Hermione was gently rattling a glass jar with a horn in it, a jackalope horn. "A peace offering." She explained. "And a bribe to let me stay in the library. No more photobooks." She promised.

Draco hesitated, turned around and then sighed and held out a hand. "Fine, Granger, you have a deal." She pulled the bottle back with a raised eyebrow.

He cleared his throat. "Hermione."

She smiled brightly and handed the bottle over. Draco felt something in his chest seize painfully. Panicked, he snatched the bottle and swiftly left, just barely below a jog. He slammed the bedroom door behind him and threw the photobook on the bed. He rubbed his chest frowning. Heart attack? The lack of sleep catching up with him? Panic attack?

"Don't be an idiot." Something in the back of his mind hissed. He put his hand over his eyes and took a shaky breath. He was being an idiot, and he knew it, but it was better than the alternative, admitting it. He smoothed back his hair with a hand and straightened his shirt. He was a Malfoy, this was beneath him, the whole thing. His eyes fell on the photobook, it had landed open on the Yule ball picture. He slammed it shut, shoving the memory out of his mind before it could start replaying. He exited and snapped the door closed with unnecessary force. He was not going to be bested by some shiny hair.

A few hours later, Draco was happily distracted with his potion, grinding up jackalope horn and adding measures to a few of the bottles and scribbling notes on the changes of color and texture. He had almost forgotten about his house guest completely, which is why he jumped when there was a cough at his elbow.

"How's it going?" Hermione asked looking at the bottles curiously.

Draco clutched the bottle in his hands tightly. "Would you stop sneaking around! You're going to cause an accident one of these days."

"Sorry." She said distractedly, picking up a bottle. "So how will you know which one works?"

Draco leaned against the counter and crossed his arms. "I don't know, this is uncharted territory now."

Hermione put down the bottle. "I guess it's just trial and error, we can take them all over to Andromeda and try them out."

Draco frowned. "Yes, but we don't know the effects of these, some might be dangerous now, I would rather run some tests on something else first."

"That's touching." Hermione half smiled. "Who knew a Malfoy would care about so much about the health of a muggle-born."

"Healers take an oath of healing and protection." Draco sniffed primly. "Don't think too much of it, muggle-born."

She didn't reply but smiled; Draco wished she would stop doing that. "Anyways, I think that's enough for today." He opened the back door, hoping she would get the hint. Instead she had picked up another bottle on the counter.

"Dreamless sleeping potion?"

Draco leaned over and snatched it out of his hands. "Why are you so nosey!?" He hissed angrily.

She shrugged, unconcerned with his outburst. "Served me well in the past, don't see a reason to stop now."

He shoved the bottle deep in his pocket, glowering.

She sat down on a stool, absent-mindedly organizing the disarray of ingredients on the counter. "It's nothing to be ashamed of." She broke the silence that had fallen. "I took it regularly last year, to cope with the aftermath."

 _Not your fault_. Draco closed his eyes, willing the echo away.

"We didn't exactly have the easiest experience the last few years, did we?" She raised a sarcastic eyebrow. "Voldemort showing up, classmates dying, dementors, prison breaks, a war, friends dying…." Her voice trailed off. She shook off whatever memory was clouding her vision and she looked up. "We could all use a few less dreams."

Draco caught sight of himself in the reflection of the window; he looked terrible, black shadows under his eyes, exhaustion on his face. He slumped down on another stool, put his elbow on the counter and his face in his hand. He placed the bottle on the counter and pushed it with his finger moodily. "It doesn't work."

"Doesn't work?" She wrinkled her forehead, confused.

Draco sighed, closing his eyes. "Some potions are like alcohol, the more you use them, the less effective it is." He flicked the bottle. "I've used all the effectiveness out of mine." He admitted softly.

Hermione straightened up, concern on her face. "What do you dream about?" She asked in a hushed whisper.

Draco clamped his jaw shut, unwilling to disclose any more, But he glanced down at her arm. Hermione's eyes followed his and she instinctively put a hand over her forearm.

"Draco, I-" She started in an alarmingly gentle tone.

Draco stood up suddenly. "It's getting late." He interrupted curtly. "You should be getting home."

Hermione sighed, clearly annoyed at his sudden stonewall. "Alright, thank you for letting me look through the library." She stood up and walked to the back door which Draco held open for her. They walked in silence to the front of the house, the manners his mother had drilled into forced him to see her out.

At the entrance she turned to face him, opening her mouth to say something.

"Don't." He said quickly, his voice straining slightly.

She closed her mouth, looking hurt. A cool breeze swept through the yard, lifting her hair slightly. Draco swallowed the uncomfortable feelings back down his throat. She needed to go, he could feel something breaking in him and he wasn't sure which way it would fall. He felt he was seconds away from trying to set her on fire or trying to run his fingers through her hair.

"Good night, Draco." She said finally. "Let me know when you're ready for the tests." She turned and disappeared.

Draco let out the breath he had been holding. He crouched down on the gravel, putting his head in his hands with a groan. It was like fourth year all over again, the year he would have killed anyone who had accused him of it, the year he would have died before admitting it, the year.. He looked up at the setting sun… the year he had a crush on a mudblood.

He stood with a sway, maybe he would try the dreamless potion again. He drained the bottle, promising to find the person who invented sleekeazy's hair potion and jixing their eyes out.


	7. Diagon Alley

Draco pulled his silver and green scarf closer around his neck as he waited. The weather was finally turning cooler and the leaves turning colors. Quidditch weather, he thought with a wistful sigh. He looked back up the street towards the brick wall, still no sign of them.

He had gotten a letter from his aunt earlier in the week. She had an appointment at Gringotts bank and she was wondering if Draco would walk Teddy around Diagon Alley while she was there. Draco still wasn't sure why he had said yes, it was unlike him, he probably just needed an excuse to get out of the house, to take his mind off his study.

"Sorry!" A voice called from his left. His aunt and Teddy appeared through the brick wall. "Couldn't find his scarf!" Andromeda explained as they walked up. Teddy broke away from his aunt and launched himself at Draco. "Uncle Draco!"

Draco took the impact with practiced ease. "Cousin Draco." He corrected uselessly.

"Thanks again for watching him." His aunt brushed her hair out of her face. "Harry's at work and Ginny has her hands full with the baby."

"It's no problem, Aunt Andromeda." Draco replied, prying Teddy off his leg.

Andromeda looked at her watch. "I have to go!" She bent down and kissed Teddy's forehead. "No pets." She waved goodbye and hurried down the street.

Draco looked down at Teddy who looked up and grinned. What exactly were you supposed to do with a young child?

"What's your favorite shop?" Draco finally asked.

"Wheezy!" Came the enthusiastic reply.

"Of course it is." Draco muttered. "Come on then." He started in the direction and Teddy, probably by habit, reached up and took his hand.

Draco immediately snatched his hand away, panicked. Then a vision of losing Teddy and the impending wrath of his aunt flashed across his mind, she looked disturbingly like aunt Bella. "Look, um, why don't you hold my coat?" Draco muttered.

Teddy grabbed a handful of his pocket and nodded.

"Alright then." Draco sighed, let's go."

Their trip to the Weasley store wasn't as direct and Draco thought it would be, anything remotely colorful or shiny caught Teddy's attention and dragged him along like a magnet. They found themselves zig-zagging to just about every shop window in the alley, Teddy excitedly pointing out something in each one. Draco couldn't help looking a bit longing himself at the quidditch store, the new Firebolts looked so sleek.

"A real bwoom." Teddy said with reverence.

Draco glanced down at him. "I'm pretty sure your grandma would kill me if we bought one of those for you." He said with a dry chuckle. "She still a Black, after all."

They finally made it to the joke shop which was bustling with people.

Teddy looked at all the brightly colored items with wide eyes. Draco smiled slightly and gave a long-suffering sigh. "Alright, two things, that's it."

Teddy looked up at him like he was Father Christmas before running to the shelves with a squeak.

Draco poked at a purple fuzzball which looked back with small black eyes. "Who buys these things?" He wondered under his breath.

"Didn't think this was your type of shop." Someone said behind him.

He spun around to see a grinning Hermione and George Weasley.

"You're in luck, Malfoy! George said. "All new customers get a free balding hex today, guaranteed to last a lifetime!"

Hermione elbowed him in the ribs. "What are you doing here?" She asked Draco.

Draco was saved the answer as Teddy ran up, his arms full.

Draco gave him a hard look and raised an eyebrow. "Count with me, Teddy. Ooooone, Twoooo." He held up two fingers.

Teddy looked disappointed that his ruse had failed.

"Here, Teddy." George put a guiding hand on his back. "I'll help you pick out the perfect things to use on Unkie Dwaco."

Draco scowled after them and then turned his annoyance on Hermione. "Do you have a tracking charm on me or something?"

She rolled her eyes. "Hardly. I live here."

"In Diagon Alley?" He asked in surprise.

"In this shop actually, there's a small flat above it. George was kind enough to offer it to me when he moved out."

"Oh." Draco went back to poking the purple fuzzball for lack of anything else to do. He didn't want to bring up what had happened last time. At least her hair was back to normal, he could look at her without feeling unusually nervous.

"Taking a day with Teddy?" Hermione finally broke the tension.

"Aunt Andromeda had business at the bank and asked me to watch him."

On cue, Teddy ran up, holding two suspiciously large boxes. "Oooone, twooooo!" He grinned in triumph.

"Uh huh." Draco cast a suspicious look at George who was ringing up the boxes. "Well, can't argue with that logic, you'll be a Slytherin yet."

He paid and they left, George and Teddy furiously winking at each other. Hermione, to Draco's annoyance, left with them. She busied herself wrapping her Gryffindor scarf around herself.

"Going somewhere?" Draco asked lazily.

"The bookshop. I have a new interview this weekend and I need to read up on the department."

"I'm surprised you haven't gotten a job yet." Draco drawled. "Top of the class and everything."

"I've had a few offers." She admitted. "Just nothing that really interests me."

Draco opened his mouth to reply when a voice behind him distracted him.

"Well, well, Malfoy."

He turned to see his old Slytherin classmate, Blaise Zabini. "Zabini." He returned.

Zabini's eyes looked them over. "Well, looks like the Malfoy name doesn't mean much anymore." His tone cold as he looked from Draco to Hermione. "Taken up with the mudblood have you?" His eyes fell to the blonde-haired Teddy. "And got busy it seems. Must have been disgusting work, making that thing." He nodded to Teddy. Draco felt Teddy shift until he was hiding behind Draco's leg. Draco's jaw tightened.

"Would have made me ill." Zabini turned his eyes back to Hermione, he looked like he was inspecting a house-elf. "She's hardly worth muddling the bloodline for." His expression distasteful. Hermione had turned white and pink all at once, temper crackling in her eyes. Zabini turned to walk away ."How the mighty have fallen. And you call yourself a Slytherin pureblood." He gave the parting shot over his shoulder as he walked into a side alley.

Draco didn't even hear the last part, the blood pounding in his ears was too loud. He picked up Teddy and handed him to Hermione, not looking away from where Zabini had gone. "Watch him for me." He said lowly and he followed.

Draco didn't hear her reply, didn't bother checking, his tunnel vision ahead of him as he walked briskly for the alley. Zabini never had a chance, by the time he heard the footsteps and turned around, Draco already had his wand out. " _Petrificus totalus!"_ Draco hissed. Zabini collapsed on the ground. " _Muffliato."_ Draco growled, then he cracked his knuckles.

It wasn't a fair fight, Slytherins didn't fight fair, they fought to win. Draco causally and easily broke his nose, split his lip, blacked an eye, cracked a few ribs and dislocated a shoulder. One of the benefits of being a healer was knowing how to hurt people easily and quickly. Zabini could only stare at him, half in hate, half in pain.

"Now then." Draco wiped his bleeding knuckles on a handkerchief and crouched down so his face was close to Zabini's. "If I ever hear you insult me, my blood, my family including my cousin, or that witch again." Draco dropped the bloody cloth on him. "I won't leave you breathing next time." He hissed menacingly. Draco stood up and walked away, releasing the curse only when he was in the main street again. He walked back to Hermione who was holding Teddy's hand, looking anxiously down towards the alley. She slumped with relief as she caught sight of Draco walking back.

"What happened?" She asked breathlessly.

Draco took one of Teddy's hands in his own, picked up the bag with his other and put it on Hermione's back ushering her forward. "Just saying hello."

"Uncle Draco, you have an owie." Teddy touched one of Draco's bleeding knuckles with a finger.

Draco tried not to wince at the sting. "Hit the alley wall, clumsy of me."

Hermione was looking at his hands in alarm. "Draco, you-"

"Not now." He said softly.

She bit her lip and looked around. "At least let me fix it."

"You don't need to-"

"Teddy! Ice cream?" Hermione interrupted.

Draco suddenly found himself yanked to the right with the power of a child who was promised ice cream.

A few minutes, they were seated inside _Florean Fortescue_ ' _s Ice Cream Parlour._ Teddy was happily making a mess with his cone and Hermione was digging through a small, beaded purse. Draco watched her search, for such a small bag it was taking a long time. She finally pulled out a bottle of dittany and a clean cloth.

She held out a hand for Draco's. He frowned at her for a moment, she frowned back stubbornly and made an insisting motion with her hand. He begrudgingly put his hand in hers. It stung a bit, but she was gentle as she dabbed the potion on the split skin.

"Honestly, men, the lot of you, can't settle things civilly." She was muttering under her breath.

"You would have done worse if you got to him first." Draco smiled slightly. "Who gave Marietta Edgecomb disfiguring ache for two years?"

Hermione's ears turned pink and she dabbed busily. "I thought healers took an oath of protection and healing." She switched tactics.

"I make exceptions." Draco said lightly.

She put down his hand and motioned for his other one. Draco inspected his healed hand, the skin was neatly closed and pink. He leaned over and ruffled Teddy's hair, "No one insults my cousin and gets away with it."

Teddy gave him a innocent, ice cream covered smile.

"You…" He looked back over at Hermione. She was looking at him curiously, still holding his hand in hers. "You continue to be…" She squinted slightly, trying to find the right word. "Interesting." She finally decided.

Draco stared back at her, aware how warm her hand felt. "I'd hate to be boring." He slid his hand away, flexing the new skin. "Thanks for the help."

She corked the potion and put it back in her bag. "Anytime."

"Aunt Hermione, what's a mudblood?" Teddy asked suddenly, curiosity on his young face.

"It's a bad word that will get your mouth hexed with soap if your grandma hears you say it." Draco said before Hermione could open her mouth. "The correct term to call Aunt Hermione is an insufferable know-it-all." A ghost of a smiled passed over his lips.

Teddy's face screwed up in concentration as he tried to remember the whole thing. "Know-all."

"Close enough."

Hermione caught his eyes and gave him an exasperated glare. He gave a half-smile in return.

"There you are!" The bell on the door jingled and Andromeda walked in. "Done at last! Did you have a good time, Teddy?" She looked his messy face over. "Looks like you did."

"It went well. We bought an owl and toad." Draco stretched his arms out over his head.

Aunt Andromeda smacked him teasingly on the shoulder. "Just like your mother." She chuckled.

Draco stopped mid-stretch. "My mother?"

Andromeda sat in the chair across from him and smiled. "She was always the serious one of us, usually. She had her moments though, hexed all the sheets in the boy's dormitory to short-sheet them in the middle of the night." She laughed at the memory. "They never figured it out."

Draco blinked in surprise, he had never heard of this side of his rather tight-laced mother. "She never told me."

Andromeda smiled at him. "Never told your father either, he would have been furious. He spent half the year trying to track the trickster down."

Draco felt the uncomfortable knot in his stomach. He looked down at the table, concentrating on the grain of the wood.

"Would you like tea, Draco?" His aunt broke into his concentration. "At our house of course."

Draco glanced up at his aunt who smiled softly. "I could tell you more."

Draco's fingernails pressed into his palm and his jaw tightened, willing himself to stay in control. "I.."

Someone nudged him from the side. Hermione leaned over close and whispered in his ear, "Go on, Garden snake."

He inhaled a slow breath before releasing his hands. "Sure, that would be nice."

Andromeda looked surprised but pleased. "Well then, Teddy." She held out a hand as she stood up. "Let's get going."

They all stood up, Teddy taking one of Draco's hands instead, who numbly let it be.

Hermione waved goodbye and walked into the bookshop next door. Draco watched her go, the pain in his chest flaring up unexpectedly. He massaged it with a grimace.

"Are you alright?" His aunt asked watching him.

"Yeah. Just….interesting."


	8. The Break

"Crucio!"

Hermione's screamed louder than before, her back arched in pain, her face taut with agony.

Draco stood, frozen. "Stop." The words wouldn't leave his mouth.

"Crucio!"

She screamed again. Blood leaking down her arm.

"No." His jaw was locked tight. He wanted to scream.

His aunt stood and brandished a dagger. "Enough games, I'm done with you." She raised the dagger.

Draco woke, gasping for breath, covered in sweat, his chest heaving. He sat in the dark, trying to focus. Hermione wasn't here, she was alive, she was safe. He leaned forward and buried his face in his arms. The dreams seemed to be getting worse instead of better. Ever since he had tried the dreamless sleep potion he had had one night of peace and a week of hell.

If only he had done something, tried to help any of them, it would be more bearable. But he just stood there and let it happen, each death because he hadn't moved a muscle. "Coward." The mark whispered to him. Draco grimaced at his arm. He had tried to remove it, he had almost bled to death trying to scrape it off, it had just healed back all the same, it refused to release him.

He looked at the clock. It was three in the morning. He lay for an hour in the dark, trying to sleep; but every time he closed his eyes he saw Hermione's tortured body lying on the floor.

He got up with a growl of frustration.

"No shame in asking for help." Goldron had said.

Draco passed a hand over his tired eyes. He had barely slept for a week, he had eaten very little. He swayed in his feet, feeling faint. He was close to breaking, he was going to go mad if he didn't do something. He yanked a shirt over his head and headed for the door. Halfway across the lawn he realized she was probably asleep still. He paced the cold lawn for another hour until he couldn't stand it anymore. He disapparated.

He stood at the top of the stairs, hand mid-knock. He couldn't. He looked at himself in the glass of the door; he was reminded sharply of how he looked in his sixth year at Hogwarts. He hadn't confided in anyone then, except an ugly ghost, the pressure had driven him insane.

Before he could rethink it, he knocked.

Sooner than he expected, a light turned on and footsteps approached. The door opened and faint light hit him.

"Draco!" Andromeda looked him up and down in surprise. She was wearing a dressing robe, her hair loosely braided down her back. "What's wrong?"

Draco was suddenly unprepared. He didn't know what to say, what to do. He stood there, mouth open, looking like a lost puppy. He realized that he wasn't wearing shoes.

His aunt put a hand on his arm. "Draco."

Draco cleared his burning throat. "Could...I….I need….I….." He stammered uncertainly.

His aunt's expression softened from surprise to understanding. "Come here." She pulled him into her arms, one hand wrapped firmly around his back, one comfortingly on his head, pulling him down to her shoulder.

Draco broke down, holding onto the last living reminder of his mother, he put his head down on her shoulder and let out a quiet sob, wrapping his arms around her.

"It's ok, Draco. It will be ok." Andromeda whispered soothingly. "It's alright." She stroked his hair in an eerily similar fashion that his mother had. "You've had a hard year."

He nodded against her shoulder.

"You've been carrying around quite a weight."

He nodded again.

"It will be alright, you're not alone."

Draco felt tears squeeze out of his eyes as he hugged her tighter. He wasn't alone anymore.

He didn't know how long they stood there. He was dimly aware of her leading him to the living room and seating him on the couch, wrapping him in a blanket before leaving and returning with mugs of tea. She handed him the mug and took his other hand in hers, giving it a comforting squeeze. "What's been happening, Draco?" She asked.

Draco had told her slowly, it felt like draining poison from a wound. He told her about his regrets of the war, about his nightmares that haunted him, about his mark, the grief that he couldn't save his own mother, hating his father for leaving her in such a state. The sun was up by the time he finished. He sat there, staring at his empty mug. He felt empty, lighter, but empty.

Andromeda leaned forward and put a hand on his cheek. "Oh Draco." She sighed sadly. "It wasn't your fau-"

"It was!" He cried. "I could have prevented it, I could have prevented something."

Andromeda shook her head firmly and pulled his face around to look at her. "No, Draco, you could have tried, but you couldn't have stopped the tide that was rising. Dumbledore would have died anyways, he was sick. Crabbe was foolish and caused his own death, you were lucky to get out alive. You might have stood up for the Muggle teacher or Hermione, but you would have stood against Voldemort, you would have sacrificed yourself and one would still be dead the other scarred."

Draco dropped his eyes. "I could have tried. I could have done something."

"I hear you did."

Draco raised his eyes.

"Harry told me that you refused to identify him to Bella and your father when they were brought to the manor."

"Not really." He muttered. "I wasn't sure it was him."

"Oh please." She said a little testily. "You and that boy butted heads for six years, you knew it was him. You did something. We tend to forget the little things we did do and remember the things we didn't do."

Her eyes suddenly filled with tears. "I…...I often wish I had done things differently. I wish I had run with Ted, helped him somehow. And now he's gone." She gave a great sniff and wiped away a few tears. "I wish I had stopped my daughter from joining the fight. I wish I had insisted she stay with her son. I wish I had stopped them both, and now….." Her voice trembled, showing weakness since the first time Draco had met her. "Now, they're all gone, and Teddy and I are alone."

Draco hesitated, unsure how to comfort someone else. He reached out slowly and put a hand over hers.

She ran her sleeve over her eyes. "A wise headmaster once said, 'It does not do to dwell on dreams and forget to live'. We may wish and dream we had done different things, Draco, but we can't change the past." She looked over towards Teddy's room. "Only our future."

Andromeda stood up and collected the mugs. "You cannot be the boy you wanted to be." She squeezed his shoulder as she walked to the kitchen. "Be the man you want to be."

Draco sat, gazing unseeing at his hands, feeling drained. He wasn't aware of closing his eyes or leaning back, but the next thing he knew, his stomach had an uncomfortable weight on it and he was gasping for breath.

"Uncle Draco!"

Draco tried to clear his vision and gasped for air as Teddy's knees dug into his ribs. "Teddy, get off." He managed finally.

"Teddy!" Andromeda bustled around the corner, a frying pan in her hand. "I told you to let him sleep!"

Teddy looked mildly guilty but still mostly excited. "Are you here for breakfast?"

Draco rubbed his eyes free of sleep. "I suppose so."

"Uncle Harry is coming too!"

Draco's eyes snapped open. "What?"

Andromeda's eyes also flew open as she remembered. "Oh! I forgot! The Potter's are coming for breakfast!"

Draco leapt up, ready to run for the nearest door.

"Draco!" His aunt's voice carried a note of the Black command in it. He stopped. She gave him a level look. "Harry understands more than anyone. Stay."

Draco was still looking at the door longingly. The last person he wanted to see him in his vulnerable state was Potter. "I'm not wearing shoes." He finally mumbled.

She rolled her eyes in a long-suffering way. "Alright, you can go clean yourself up, but." She pointed a wooden spoon at him warningly. "I expect you back here in an hour."

Draco's mouth twitched slightly, she looked so much like his mother when she was threatening him about his grades. "Yes Ma'am." He promised. He ruffled Teddy's hair as he walked back into the yard and apparated home.

When Andromeda let him in an hour later, he looked as if the morning had never existed. He was cleaned up, put together, had on crisp dark clothing, and had found his shoes. He handed over a handful of flower that he had grabbed out of the garden on his way out. "Aunt Andromeda." He greeted her smoothly as he walked in.

She shook her head with a small smile. "You clean up fast."

He walked in, catching a glimpse of Harry and Teddy in the backyard practicing on his toy broom. Ginny was sitting at the kitchen counter, James in her arms.

"Morning, Mal-Draco." She greeted.

He raised an eyebrow.

"Hermione was insisting we start calling you by your first name, says it builds camaraderie." She leaned over towards Andromeda and said in a too loud whisper. "Not all she's trying to build if you ask me."

"Not that he would notice." Andromeda muttered back.

Draco looked at them both blankly, what were they on about?"

"Thick as dragon hide, that one." Ginny said with a giggle.

Before Draco could inquire, Ginny had stood, motioning him over. "Come here, you need practice, especially if you're going to be a healer."

Draco sat, confused still. Ginny suddenly placed James in his arms and he automatically took the baby. Alarm and panic set in microseconds later. "What are you doing?!" He hissed.

"Giving you baby practice." Ginny grinned. "You said you never held one before."

Draco had never felt so uncoordinated, huge, and awkward. He felt like the baby could slip through his fingers at any moment. James was asleep, swaddled in blankets, he didn't even stir when he was transferred.

"He's not made of paper, Draco." Ginny smirked. "You're not going to break him."

Draco didn't look convinced. But he relaxed his shoulders slightly and he shifted James to a more comfortable hold carefully. He gazed down at the sleeping baby. He didn't know if he would ever get over how small and new they looked. James was a few months old now, but he still looked as smooth and innocent as the first time Draco had seen him. He smiled slightly.

There was a click and Draco's head snapped up, frowning. Ginny grinned from behind the camera. "There's one for the photobook!"

"Weasley." Draco grit out between his teeth. "If that photo doesn't get destroyed I will personally see to the incineration of the whole apparatus."

Ginny didn't look phased by the threat. She pulled the polaroid out of the camera, examining it with an air of unconcern. "Sure, sure, It's Potter now actually." She leaned over to Andromeda and showed her the photo. "Cute, right?"

The two of them giggled disconcertingly, Draco didn't like the look in Ginny's eyes when she grinned mischievously at him. "Perhaps there's a better place for it."

"The trash." He suggested.

"Oh, that's right! I forgot all about this." Andromeda shuffled through some parchment that was stacked on the counter. "Hermione took this the day you two visited, l thought you might like to have it." She held out a photo to Draco.

Shifting James carefully into a one-armed hold, Draco took the photo. Two people in the picture were sleeping blissfully unaware of the moment being captured. It was Draco, a book propped open on his chest, and Teddy, curled up in his side. The only movement in the photo was the rising and falling of Draco's chest as he slept peacefully. Draco felt the lump of feelings drop back into his throat. He glanced up at Ginny and Andromeda who were smiling knowingly. He cleared his throat and expression, tucking the photo into his vest pocket. "Sure." He muttered lamely.

He was saved from further snide, womanly remarks by breakfast. It felt odd. Draco looked around the table, feeling out of place. He couldn't remember the last time he had had a meal with so many people like this, maybe Hogwarts.

"How's the scar potion coming along?" Harry asked him partway through the meal.

"Well." Draco said automatically then reconsidered. "Actually…." He slumped in his seat. "I haven't made any progress since the first success."

"Have you gotten any advice for it yet?" Harry chewed his food thoughtfully. "Maybe old Professor Slughorn could help."

"I wrote him already, well, Hermione wrote him for me."

"Good call." Harry muttered.

"But that's not panning out well. He suggested jackalope horn, but all that did was make potions that grow thick purple hair, make me sneeze, and turn into useless messes."

"You should tell George about the thick purple hair." Ginny said with a grin. "He might be able to use it for his joke shop."

Draco poked at his food. "I've been stuck for a while now, I really don't know if it's a potion that can be made."

"Well, at least you have the current one." Harry shrugged. "That's something." He paused and looked thoughtful. "Do you have any on you?"

Draco pulled a small vial from his pocket. He had been in the habit of carrying some around in case he had sudden inspiration.

"Thanks, Malfoy." Harry took it from his hand. Ginny nudged him in the ribs. "No, I don't care what Hermione thinks or says, Malfoy's what I'm calling him."

"Couldn't agree more, Potter." Malfoy drawled. They exchanged the briefest of amiable looks.

Harry uncorked the vial and dropped some on his finger and spread it over the back of his hand. Draco barely had time to see the scar before it was covered in silver. _I must not tell lies._

"Ah." He said. "That old bat."

Harry grinned as he examined his hand, now free of the scar. "That's much better, take that you…." He glanced at Teddy. "Witch."

"Old bat? You were on her inquisitorial squad!" Ginny said with only a hint of bitterness.

"Doesn't mean we liked her." Draco said flatly. "We Slytherins got close to her mainly so she would do us favors and keep out of our business, worked rather well for us. But I don't think there was a single person who actually liked her, well, except old Filch; he probably still snogs a picture of her in his room."

Harry gave a snort of laughter and handed the vial back. "Well, I know it doesn't do everything you were hoping for, but." He examined the new skin on his hands. "I think there will be quite a few people who will be thankful for it."

Draco felt a brief warming towards Harry, they locked eyes for a moment and Harry frowned. "I feel like we should punch each other in face or something, reset the balance."

"I could break your nose again if it would make you feel better." Draco offered.

The rest of the morning passed pleasantly. Draco was almost sorry when he realised he needed to get ready for his shift. He said his goodbyes and was at the door when his aunt called his name. She walked up, wrapped him in a hug and said, "Have a good day at work. Anytime you need to talk, we're here."

Draco coughed to cover his embarrassment. "Thanks, Aunt Andromeda." He looked nervously back at the table. "You won't tell…"

She looked reproachfully. "Obviously." She sniffed.

Draco kissed her quickly on the forehead and left before she could see his ears turn pink.


	9. The Flat

"Your patronage is always appreciated." The wizened old wizard behind the counter at the apothecary handed Draco his purchase.

"Thanks." Draco muttered. He was sure that the apothecary had been loving him lately. He had been coming in at least once a week to restock his current ingredients and try new ones, this time it was salamander skin.

"Perhaps a replacement skin." One of the healers at St. Mungo's had suggested when Draco asked their opinion. "Something reptilian that replicates itself, that might be the ticket."

His footsteps crunched on the street as he walked into Diagon Alley. Winter was in full swing, Christmas was only three weeks away. He adjusted his Slytherin scarf and pulled the collar of his cloak closer around his neck, some insistent snowflakes still managed to melt on his neck, he shuddered. It had been close to two months since the night he had went to his aunt, except for the more frequent visits to the Tonks' house, not much had changed besides. He had been wrapped up in his experiments to do much else besides work and sleep. He glanced over at the second-hand book shop, he hadn't seen Hermione since his trip here with Teddy. His eyes trailed over to the Weasley's joke shop. It had been a while, maybe he should…..

Someone hit him in the back, knocking him off- balance.

"Hey, mind yourself!" He snapped irritably as he turned.

As if summoned by his thoughts, Hermione was behind him, rubbing her hand where she had run into him, some parchment clutched in it. "Sorry." She muttered, without looking up.

Draco didn't think she even realized it was him, she continued forward at a fast walk. "Hermione." She didn't stop. He took two running steps and grabbed her arm. "Oi, what-"

Her head snapped up, her cheeks blotched with red and her eyes brimming with tears. She finally seemed to recognize him, it only seemed to upset her more. "Let me go!" She jerked her arm out of his grasp and, with a loud sniff, she turned and practically ran down the street.

Draco stood with his mouth open, his arm still forward as if grasping an invisible person. What had happened to her? Not his business, he said to himself and turned towards _The Leaky Cauldron_. But….He turned back around, she had been helpful when he needed help. She didn't need help, she was just upset, he half turned back. "Don't be a prat." Something muttered in the back of his mind. With a groan of frustration, Draco forced himself around and woodenly walked towards the joke shop. He stood at the bottom of the stairs for about a minute, this was stupid, he was stupid, she was stupid, girls were stupid. He looked up at the door that lead to the flat above the shop. His feet were growing numb from the cold. "Fine!" He hissed to no one in particular and he climbed the steps. He cleared his throat and knocked gently.

"Um..Hermi-."

"Go away, George."

"I'll try not to take offense to that." Draco drawled.

There was a pause and then a shuffling of feet. Hermione opened the door a crack. "What do you want?"

Draco felt a tad annoyed, trying to be friendly did not come easily to him and she wasn't helping. "Freezing." He said acidly.

After another pause, the door opened fully. Draco stepped in, shaking snow out of his hair. He wasn't sure what he expected of Hermione's home, but he felt like it would have been this. It was neat and clean, warm looking furniture and welcoming pictures, but the whole effect was spoiled somewhat by the books. They were orderly, but they were everywhere, she had clearly run out of space on her bookshelves a long time ago. There were extra shelves placed high on the walls, books piled neatly next to the couch, books stacked on the counter, books arranged around her fireplace. He swallowed the smile that threatened his face, her bed was probably surrounded in a wall of books.

Hermione shuffled over to the kitchen, prodding the stove with her wand, lighting a fire. "Tea?" She asked in a weary voice.  
"Yes, thanks." he said, still looking around. Something touched his leg and he jumped slightly. Two amber eyes were glaring up at him, Draco frowned back. If a cat could be surly, this cat was. The look he gave Draco was almost a challenge. His bottlebrush tail high, the cat stalked over to Hermione and wound his way through her legs, mewing lightly. Hermione reached down and scratched his ears. Crookshanks turned his head and stared at Draco. Draco could swear the cat looked smug.

"So what are you doing here?" She asked finally, prepping two tea mugs.

"Ingredient shopping." Draco glared back at the cat, who smugly rubbed his face against Hermione's leg.

Hermione dabbed a sleeve at her eyes and sniffed quietly.

Draco stood at the door, fiddling with his scarf, unsure where to put himself.

Hermione turned with the mugs of tea and saw him fidget self-consciously. "Sit." She nodded towards a chair near the couch. Draco took the mug, touching her hand ever so slightly, Crookshanks hissed and arched his back.

"Crookshanks!" Hermione reprimanded him. "Behave!"

The cat leapt lightly onto the couch, his eyes never breaking from Draco.

"That's an…..interesting cat." Draco thought it was a generous description.

Hermione sat down on the couch, pulling her bare feet under her legs, Crookshanks immediately curled himself up in her lap, resting his head on her leg, purring. He shot a look of Draco, "Jealous?" Draco felt it so clearly he thought the cat had spoken.

"He's been a lovely companion, I got him in our third year, Ron hated him." Hermione smiled slightly at the memory. "Ron thought he was trying to eat his rat, turns out the rat was an animagus and Crookshanks was just clever." She scratched the cat under the chin, who looked immensely pleased with himself.

Draco pointedly did not look back at the smug feline. "So, um…" He fiddled with the mug handle. "Are you..um..are you alright?"

The smile slid off Hermione's face. She sighed and pushed her hair behind her ear, some of it springing back stubbornly. "I've been job searching."

"Still?" Draco asked in surprise.

She shrugged. "I finally found something I thought I would like to do. Harry mentioned that I always liked doing things for Hagrid and the house elves and I thought why not the Department for the Regulation of Magical Creatures. I could try to change some of the unfair laws, really make a difference." Her forehead furrowed in sudden anger. "I went in for an interview last week." She leaned over towards the counter and pulled a length of parchment off, handing it to Draco. "I got this reply today." Tears were welling up in her eyes again.

Draco put down his mug and unfolded the letter.

 _Ms. Granger. We thank you for your time and effort you have put towards applying for a position in our department. After looking at some of your extracurricular activities, the department has decided to look elsewhere for another applicant whose ideals would fit best for this department. We are concerned that you would be unhappy here, and a poor fit to interact with the magical creatures as to their placement in the magical world._

 _-DRMC_

Draco looked from the letter to Hermione, confused. "So you didn't get the job you wanted?" That didn't seem to warrant the tears.

Hermione gave a derisive snort. "It's not that, it's…." She looked out one of the windows at the falling snow. "I thought the world was changing."

Draco felt a prickling on his left arm.

"I thought, maybe the magical world was ready to be more accepting of other magical races." She brushed away an angry tear. "I was wrong."

"I'm confused." Draco said, tilting his head slightly. "What makes you say that?"

She looked down at the letter. "My extracurricular activities. They're talking about S.P.E.W and my work on Hagrid's case for his hippogriff and my letter campaign to grant centaurs more land, and my petition to give werewolves more jobs. They don't want someone who won't put wizards first in the department."

"Ah." Draco felt slightly guilty that his gut response was to say they were right. He kept his expression clear but Hermione was examining him suspiciously.

"You agree with them, don't you?" She accused in a low voice.

Draco folded the letter and put it on the side table, leaning back in the seat. "I don't know. Historically yes, but…." He glanced up at her mutinous face. "I've been wrong before."

She looked startled, surprised, and then slightly pleased. She looked like she was going to say something but then buried her face in her mug. "Thank you." She said to the bottom of the cup. Draco thought she looked pink. Crookshanks stood up, placed his paws on Hermione's chest and rubbed against her cheek.  
She laughed and rubbed his head. "Thanks, Crookshanks, I'm ok." The cat turned his squashed face to Draco with an air that could only be described as triumphant mocking as he kneaded his paws into her shirt.

"There is something wrong about that cat." Draco muttered, glaring at the feline.

Hermione threw him a reproachful look, scratching the cat's ears. "Not a cat person, are you."

"Not anymore." He said under his breath.

"In any case." Hermione leaned back into the couch. "I'm back to square one for a job search."

There was a lull in the conversation. Draco looked over at the fire, warming his hands on the mug. He felt positively cozy in the comfortable chair, he hadn't felt this relaxed in a while. Hermione's problems had pushed his stalled study from his mind and the smell of cinnamon that seemed to permeate the air was lulling him into a pleasant mood.

"What are you doing for Christmas?" Hermione's question broke him out of his lull a minute later.

"Hm? Oh. I would say nothing, but I suspect that Aunt Andromeda wouldn't let that stand for long."

She smiled. "Ginny mentioned you were spending more time with the Tonks."

"Ginny?" Draco raised an eyebrow.

This time he was positive that she turned a shade pinker. "Er, in passing, once…" Hermione's voice seemed to lose volume with every word so he had to practically lean in to the hear the last part.

"Why?" He asked.

"Why what?!" She snapped, looking defensive.

"Why do you ask?"

"Oh." She looked slightly flustered. "I don't know, just, making sure you weren't going to be in that dreadful mansion by yourself."

"Dreadful?" He said raising an eyebrow. "You call my family ancestral home that has seen many generations of Malfoys, that has long history in the wizarding world, dreadful?"

She seemed to consider it for a moment. "Except the library."

"I suppose that's fair." He sighed with a defeated air.

"How is your potion coming along?" She changed the subject quickly.

Draco sank further back into the chair with a muted groan. "No progress. I've started from scratch several times but nothing works."

"Oh, I'm sorry. Did you want some more help with it?" She asked timidly.

"I've been asking around for advice, each a dead end." He gestured to the bag next to the door. "This time it's salamander skin."

"Oh!" She said with a soft sound of excitement. "That sounds promising. It has rejuvenative properties. You know, maybe instead of a potion, you could enchant the skin with the other ingredients and use it as a sort of bandage. It might stick and become permanent. A sort of second skin."

"That's….." Draco furrowed his brow in thought. "That's a clever thought." He glanced up and saw identical smirks on Hermione and Crookshanks. "Oh, stop it." He snapped. "You already know you're clever, no need to rub it in." He glanced down at his watch, it was getting late, he should probably leave soon. He drained the last of his tea. "Well, I should get going." He reluctantly left the chair and its comforting embrace.

Hermione set aside Crookshanks and stood up. "Well, um, thanks for...um, checking in." She tucked her hair behind her ear and Draco got the distinct smell of cinnamon again.

"Thanks for the tea." He returned mildly as he wrapped his scarf and cloak back around himself. "And the idea."

"If you need any help, you know where I am." She stood a few feet away, her hands clasped in front of her. She smiled as Draco turned to say goodbye, and he felt the distinct pain his chest again. It was at that moment, rubbing his chest in confusion, that it suddenly dawned on him, washing over him like cold water: it was just like fourth year. He stood frozen, confused feeling suddenly aligning in a straight line, pointing right to her. She was a mess, her hair was refusing to be put into order, her eyes and nose were slightly red, she was barefoot and wearing a Gryffindor sweater that was too big for her and all Draco could think was, she looked beautiful and he wanted to wrap her in his arms, to smell the cinnamon in her hair. As the thought slipped unguarded across his mind, Draco felt panic follow it. Not Hermione, not Granger, not the mudblood, not the one in his nightmares, not the one who couldn't ever forgive him, not the one that made him unable to forgive himself, not her.

"Draco?"

Draco jumped, he had been staring at her, mouth open in shock.

"Are you alright? You look like you're going to be sick."

"I think I am." He said numbly.

She moved forward, concern on her face. "Do you need-"

Draco leapt away like she was a dementor, hitting the door with his back. "Nothing, no, I'll be fine, I just-" His hand groped for the door knob. "Later!" He threw open the door, ran through it and slammed it shut. He stood on the other side, breathing hard and heart pounding. He needed to get away. He ran so quickly down the stairs he almost fell several times. He stood in the darkening Diagon Alley, snow falling softly on his blonde head, his feet complaining about the cold already.

He couldn't. Draco ran a hand through his hair absently, this was absurd. But his traitorous mind replayed an image of Hermione standing and smiling back through and he felt that sickening pain again. "Damn it." He hissed softly, the words small puffs of vapor. He kicked the snow, feeling petty. "Stupid cat."


	10. The Pensive

"Happy Christmas Eve!" Ginny opened the door.

Draco blinked as his eyes adjusted to the light from inside 12 Grimmauld Place. He hesitated on the doorstep, still feeling out of place.

"You know one of these days, you'll walk in like a normal person." Ginny gave an exaggerated sigh.

Draco huffed slightly but stepped in, shaking snow from himself. "Thanks." He mumbled.

The house was so festive it hurt to look at. Decorations of tinsel, balls, enchanted snow, greenery and candles made it feel crowded for such a large house.

"Uncle Draco!"

Draco reached down and caught Teddy before he managed to get a hold on his leg. He hoisted him up to his eye level. "Cousin Draco."

"Uncle Draco." Teddy said stubbornly.

"Well, Uncle Draco didn't bring you any presents, but Cousin Draco…."

"Cousin Draco!" Teddy flung his arms around Draco's neck.

"Thought you might come around." Draco gasped for air.

"Teddy, don't kill him!" Aunt Andromeda helped Draco untangle Teddy from around his neck. "Draco, glad you made it!" She stood on her tiptoes and gave him a kiss on the cheek. "Happy Christmas Eve!"

"To you as well." He returned with a small smile.

Much as Draco had expected, Andromeda had written to Draco, inviting him over for Christmas to the Potters. She had already made sure it was alright with Harry, she also mentioned that a refusal was not an acceptable answer and she would pry him from the house if necessary. Draco, who felt that much of his social life was now out of his hands, had agreed. The most comforting thought was that Hermione would not be there, but with her own family; he doubted two muggles would feel comfortable in a wizard household for Christmas. He was a little surprised that he was told to come on Christmas Eve instead of Christmas Day, but apparently it was a tradition in the Potter house to start things early.

Draco rounded the corner of the hall, undoing his scarf and cloak as Harry appeared, holding James who was almost sitting up by himself now.

"Malfoy." He greeted.

"Potter." Draco returned. "I'm surprised you're not at the Weasley den for Christmas."

Harry put James down on a blanket on the floor, surrounded by baby toys. "Well, to be honest, I really didn't want to face the whole family this year, especially with James as the new grandson, it's a lot of attention. Besides, the Burrow wouldn't have held everyone. We talked Molly into letting us come the day after Christmas." He looked into the distance as if remembering something horrible. "That woman is hell to negotiate with."

He tapped the side table with his wand and firewhiskey and glasses appeared. "This will probably be the first Christmas Teddy remembers, I would rather concentrate on him this year." He smiled fondly on his son who was attempting a wobbled crawl. "And James isn't big on crowds."

He handed Draco a glass who took it mutely. He didn't know how, but it appeared he had found his way into the close circle of the Potters, enough to be invited to a smaller Christmas gathering.

Harry seemed to catch his train of thought. "You're only here because of Andromeda, don't get any ideas about being liked." He grinned briefly from behind his own glass.

"Likewise, Potty." Draco returned coldly.

Harry snorted into the glass at the sound of one of his nickname from Peeves.

"Is the weasel likely to show up?" Draco asked.

"Ron? No, he's at the Burrow, brought home a girl to show off. You remember Katie Bell?"

"Shame, I was especially proud of the present I found for him. Oi, Weasley." He tossed a small package to Ginny, who had just walked in. "You might as well open it on his behalf."

Ginny raised a curious eyebrow and unwrapped it, she let out a peal of laughter, tossing it to Harry. Harry caught a small silver badge in the shape of a crown. "Weasley is Our King." He read. "That brings back memories!" He turned to the person who had just walked in behind Ginny. "Hermione, get a load of this."

Draco choked on the sip of whiskey he had just taken. He spun around, his heart already doing annoying flips. Hermione was unwrapping a scarf with one hand and examining the pin with her other with a smile. What in the world was she doing here!?

She handed it back to Harry. "Surprised you still have that."

He nodded towards Draco. "Malfoy brought it."

"Ah, that makes more sense."

Draco tried his best to look casual as he pressed himself into the wall. The only one who seemed to notice was James, but he didn't seem to think it was odd.

"So, you were right." Hermione addressed him a few minutes later after she had settled in.

"Right?" Draco said, a hint of panic still in his voice.

"About your aunt inviting you."

"Oh, right. Well, what are you doing here? I thought you would be with your family." Draco tried to not sound accusatory.

Harry caught his eyes from across the room and was motioning for Draco to stop talking. Draco frowned, confused, then he glanced back at Hermione who was looking at the floor, fiddling with her hair, suddenly quiet.

"She is." Ginny suddenly popped up next to Hermione, throwing an arm around her shoulders. Hermione smiled at her gratefully. "Hermione will always be family to us. Eggnog, 'Mione?" Ginny lead Hermione away, turning to give Draco the briefest of glares.

Draco blinked in confusion. What had he said?

Harry coughed lightly. "Her parents, um, well, they don't remember her." He said quietly.

"What?" Draco was still confused. "Why?"

"She modified their memories at the beginning of the war to keep them safe. They don't remember that they had a daughter."

Draco felt the crushing weight of how insensitive his question had been, especially on Christmas Eve. He gave a slight groan and put his head in his hand.

"It's ok, you didn't know." Harry said, slapping him lightly on the back.

"Anything else I should know before I put my whole leg in my mouth?" Draco asked dryly.

"If you see the house elf, be polite if you want to stay in Hermione's good graces." Harry whispered.

"Right."

The rest of the evening passed uneventfully, they had dinner around a long wooden table, decorated for the holiday. Draco made sure to thank the wrinkly house elf who popped up with food and drinks, he noticed Hermione's approving look. After eating, they were all in the living room, Hermione playing with James and Teddy while Andromeda and Ginny discussed the favorites for the quidditch world cup that was coming up next year. Draco leaned back into the couch, cradling a drink. Despite himself, he found he was warming up to the room of people. No one had looked sideways at him once, no one had called him a death eater, he had been welcomed. It was more than he deserved and he knew it.

"If only my father could see me now." He thought with a silent snort of laughter. "Fraternizing with famous Harry Potter, two blood traitors, a werewolf spawn, and a mudblood. His eyes fell automatically on Hermione, sprawled on the carpet with James playing with her. Her hair was in a messy braid that only made it seem whimsical. He groaned inwardly, did he just use the world whimsical?

"Malfoy."

Draco looked up, Harry was in the doorway to another hall, motioning for him to follow. Draco got up, thankful for something else to think about besides Hermione.

Harry led him into a room that looked like a study, books and parchment were scattered untidily. There was a small desk towards the back of the room that had a strange bowl on it. Harry closed the door behind them and sat down in one of the two chairs that faced each other. "I've never been great at beating around the bush." Harry started as Draco sat down. "So I'll just say, I know you've had problems sleeping."

Draco felt his hands go cold and his body stiffen defensively. He eyed Harry, his arms crossing. "Oh, really?" He drawled. "From what evidence?"

"Hermione told me. But it was rather obvious without her confirmation, you look terrible." Harry added at the angry glare from Draco. "No need to get huffy at her, she's just looking out for you."

"So what?" Draco didn't try to keep the sharpness out of his voice.

"So I thought, as it is Christmas, that I would offer some help." Harry reply calmly.

"Dreamless sleep potions don't work." Draco said with a surly tone, feeling cold drip down his spine from the memory from the last time he had tried it.

"So I heard." Harry stood up and walked to the desk. "Do you know what this is?"

Draco, slowly standing up as well, looked closely. It was a stone basin with runes around it. "No."

"It's a pensive." Harry informed him.

Draco felt sweat break out on his forehead, he knew what they were, what they were used for. He had had a few patients come in with pensive accidents. Harry's plan dawned on him, even as Harry spoke it.

"If you remove memories and put them in the pensive, they become less clear in your own mind, hazy like a dream. You could remove the ones that give you trouble at nights, and get a full night sleep. Just for tonight." He added hastily as he watched Draco's eyes widen with horror. "It's perfectly safe."

"No." Draco said flatly, feeling cold and numb suddenly.

Harry was looking confused. "Why are you so against it?" He asked curiously.

Draco didn't answer, he was backing away slowly. "No, I can't."

"Malfoy." Harry took a step towards him. "What-"

"I don't want to!" Draco shouted, his voice ringing around the room. He was breathing hard. His legs hit the chair he had been sitting in and he stumbled backwards, barely managing to catch himself on the back of it; his legs felt weak, he slowly sank into the chair.

Harry didn't ask again, he only stared at Draco in confusion and slight alarm.

Draco sighed shakily, putting his face into his hands. He supposed it made sense from their perspective, get rid of the memories so you wouldn't dream about them.

He heard Harry sit down quietly across from him, silently waiting.

Draco didn't want another confidant, he didn't need more people knowing about his weaknesses.

"If there's anyone who understands, it's Harry." His aunt's voice floated across his mind. He fell his stubborn will crack.

"I need them." He finally admitted softly.

"Need them?" Harry repeated.

"The memories, I can't lose them, I don't want to remove them, I don't want to forget." Draco folded his hands together and looked up, Harry was watching patiently. For the first time, Draco noticed how tired Harry looked. Draco supposed he was still in the middle of his Auror training, and the war had hit Harry harder than all of them, the war had basically been fought over him. If anyone understands, it's Harry.

"Do you know what my boggart is, Potter?" Draco asked quietly.

"No."

"I got the pleasure of finding out earlier this year. There was something rattling around in the spare room closet, so I opened the door." Draco swallowed hard, remembering. "And I stepped out of the closet. I was, different. I had my dark mark on display, it was so black. I looked so, I looked like my father, I looked like Bellatrix, I looked like….Voldemort." Draco almost choked on the name. "I was a proud death eater." Draco ran his hands up over his hair. "And I know." He continued, his voice shaking. "That the only thing standing between me and that...monster, are those memories."

Draco dropped his head lower, clasping his hands over his neck. "I don't want to forget them, I don't...I don't want to be him. Not anymore." He finished, feeling tears stinging his eyes.

The room fell silent, neither of them moved. Draco couldn't see Harry, but he could feel Harry's eyes on him. "Say something!" he wanted to scream, but he didn't want to hear anything Potter had to say.

There was the quiet swish of a wand. " _Expecto Patronum._ " The room was suddenly lit silver and something warm touched Draco's head; he lifted it. A large, silver stag was standing over him, it's nose pressed next to him. Draco felt some of the dread and fear that had been coursing through him abate at the touch, he sat up slightly. "I can't even make one of those." He murmured sadly.

"They take practice." Harry said simply.

The stag dissolved a few minutes later, leaving the room more peaceful than it had been before.

"I understand." Harry said quietly. "I…use to be...still am sometimes, hasty in my decisions." He took of his glasses, rubbing his eyes. "In my fifth year, I made a rash decision and it led to my godfather Sirius being killed." He replaced his glasses, looking out a window. "I was the one who got us caught and brought to Malfoy Manor, if I had been more careful, Hermione wouldn't have that scar." He sat quietly for a moment. "Because of these things, I'm more careful today. I understand."

They sat in silence for a while longer.

"If you want, there may be another way, if you don't mind spending the night in a guest room." Harry said after a period of time.

Draco recoiled slightly.

"Non-intrusively." Harry assured him. "It's more the charms in the house, it's quite protected."

Draco gave him a sceptical look.

Harry sighed and gave him a pleading look. "Please stay. Hermione will give me no end of grief if I let you leave. She already talked my ear off about you not spending the night at the manor."

"Force of nature." Draco said with a small smile.

"Something like that." Harry's mouth twitched upwards. "I've known her almost a decade and I still can't get the upperhand if I argue with her. Flat out ignoring her is the only way to win."

"Fine." Draco agreed quietly.

Harry stood up. "I'll show you to it when you're ready." He turned to leave and rejoin the party."

"Potter."

Harry paused and turned back.

"Don't tell Hermione."

Harry nodded. "Of course."

Draco felt uncomfortable sleeping in a different house, but he had a feeling that if he tried to leave, Hermione would only kick down his door and drag him back, he wasn't eager for that interaction. He turned over and closed his eyes, the sheets warm on his skin, at least Potter seemed to have good sense to buy high quality sheets. That was his last thought before drifting into a deep sleep.

Draco opened the door quietly, he poked his head into the hall and padded silently down the stairs to the living room. From the silence, he seemed to be the first person up. He wondered if the house elf made coffee in the morning. He almost shrieked in surprise as he turned into the living room. Hermione was already up, sipping coffee with a book in her lap. She looked up as he entered.

"Happy Christmas!" She smiled. "Sleep well?"

"Must have." He eyed her coffee. "I don't remember anything. Where did you get that?"

Hermione stood up and gestured for him to follow her. " Kreacher made it for me, I'll show you."

Draco followed her, the smell of cinnamon heavy around her. Her hair neatly coiled down her back. Draco looked pointedly away, he was so intent on not staring at her that he ran right into her as she stopped in the doorway. She was looking up curiously. "What is that?"

Draco also looked up, something green and white and leafy was hanging in the kitchen door way. "Some sort of plant."

"Oh!" Hermione said with a small sound of recognition. "It's mistletoe." She said in almost a whisper. She turned toward Draco, seeming unable to move through the doorway. She looked down at his feet, slowly sliding her eyes up to his. "It's traditional to-"

"I know what mistletoe is!" Snapped Draco, turning red. He seemed unable to move backwards. They stood staring at each other in the silent house.

Hermione made a small movement forward, putting her hands on his arms gently. "It is Christmas." she said in a hushed whisper.

Draco felt himself shaking slightly, cold heat rushing through his veins as he leaned forward, unable to look away from her. "Traditions have to be observed." He said softly, his face an inch from hers.

She put a hand on his jaw and leaned up towards him. "Draco." she breathed.

Draco's eyes snapped open, his heart pounding, panting for breath. He looked around wildly, he was still in the guest bedroom, it was still dark. He took a few deep breaths. It had been years since he had dreams that weren't nightmares, did that count as a nightmare? Probably not. He looked down at his watch lying neatly on his folded shirt, it was four in the morning. As he sat, still collecting his thoughts, he finally noticed the silver light in the room. He started in surprise and gaped at the silver otter that was pacing the foot of his bed silently on the covers. The otter turned, looked at him and then jumped off the bed disappearing through the door. Draco followed it, wrenching the door open. He skidded out of the door and almost fell over the chair that had been moved to sit next to the opening. Hermione was sitting in the chair, calming reading by candlelight, her wand in one hand.

She looked up in surprise, the silver otter turning into mist. "You're up!" She said in a hushed tone. "Was it a nightmare?"

" ! ." Draco hoped the hall was dark enough to hide what he knew was a furious blush that was rising through his face, the dream still very fresh in his mind. He couldn't help flickering his wild gaze from her hair to her mouth. "What, what are you doing?" He stammered. He was glad her hair was a disheveled mess, it helped slightly.

"It was Harry's idea. He suggested keeping watch with Patronuses to stop the nightmares. Did it work?" She asked eagerly, her voice still low.

"I, I guess so." Draco said, still feeling unbalanced "Have you been here all night?"

"No, only since three, Harry took the earlier watch. Andromeda offered to take the late morning if you slept in."

Draco could only stare at her with his mouth open. She returned his look calmly, waiting. "Why?" He finally managed.

Hermione stood up, brushing out of her sweatpants. "Because we care about you, Draco."

Draco felt like something heavy had hit him in the back of the head. "What?"

Hermione rolled her eyes, a smile playing on her face. "We were concerned about you. You seemed to be getting worse the more we saw you, so, we thought we would try to give you a night of sleep, a Christmas present, if you will."

Draco was touched but mostly he was uncomfortable at how much they were doing for him when he had had hated them, bullied them, fought with them. He felt like the world's biggest prat.

"Are those Harry's pants?" Hermione broke through his thoughts, she was looking at his sweatpants which bore the gryffindor crest and had GRYFFINDOR written in large letters down the side. "Yes." He said automatically. He saw her eyes move to the scars that crossed his chest.

"I don't deserve-" He started, his sleepy brain still trying to work, words slipping out before he had a chance to vet them.

"It's not about deserve!" Hermione hissed irritably. "There's a lot that we all deserve that we don't get and a lot we don't deserve that we do get. Just." She threw up her hands. "Just shut up and accept it, you git! It's Christmas for Merlin's sake!"

He looked slightly cowed, feeling that he didn't have a leg to stand on and argue with her.

"So, are you getting up or going back to sleep?" She snapped in a whisper.

The dream rushed back through his head and he was sure his blush was palpable if not visible. "Um, I guess I'm getting up."

She put her book down, marking her place. "If you want coffee, Kreacher was about to make me some, it's this way." She started towards the kitchen and motioned for him to follow.

Panic seized Draco. "I don't drink coffee, I'm sleeping!" He lied quickly. He backpedaled into his room and slammed the door in her face.


	11. Venomous Tentacula

"Merry Christmas!"

Something dropped onto Draco's head. He tried to pull it off but Ginny smacked his hand. "Leave it, it looks fun!"

Draco looked at her blearily through his barely awake eyes. "What is on my head?"

"A Christmas wreath." She answered with a serene smile.

"Why is it on my head?"

"Because it makes you look festive."

"I don't like it."

"You can't even see it."

Draco raised a hand to to remove it again, but again it got smacked by Ginny. "Oh, come on, Draco, it's Christmas."

Draco sighed, his shoulders drooping in defeat. "Is there coffee?"

"In the kitchen."

He shuffled towards the kitchen rubbing his face. Everyone seemed to be in the stages of getting up for Christmas. Harry was watching James on the couch while barely containing Teddy who was straining for a pile of presents. "Wait for you aunt!" He was saying, wrestling to keep hold of Teddy with one arm. Draco gave him a small nod of greeting as he passed. Andromeda and Hermione were in the kitchen, loading up a tray with pastries and drinks.

"Merry Christmas, Draco!" His aunt greeted him. She glanced up at his head. "What is that?"

"Ginny." He mumbled as he poured himself a cup of coffee.

"I thought you didn't drink coffee." Hermione said as she watched him.

Draco paused then shrugged and continued. "I'm making an exception for Christmas." He said dismissively.

He started back to the living room, catching sight of himself in a hall mirror. The wreath Ginny had put on him looked like a circlet of greenery and red berries. He had to admit, it didn't look bad against the blonde hair. "This better not be Devil's snare!" He yelled in her direction.

"You're welcome." Ginny called back with a grin.

The morning continued with the happy noises of a typical Christmas morning. Teddy was soon in a pile of shredded wrapping paper, happily showing every present off to everyone. One of his favorites was a book of paint colors that Hermione had bought from a muggle paint store. He was having fun screwing up his face and turning his hair peacock blue, marigold yellow, sage green, and tahiti purple.

Draco knew he shouldn't have been, but still was surprised to see gifts handed to him. He felt Hermione's gift was a little backhanded, it was a enchanted broom that would sweep your house for you. Harry's also seemed to poke some fun at him. When he unwrapped it and dropped a golden ball into his hand, Harry had jumped up and shouted, "He finally caught the snitch!" The room had laughed and Draco had thrown it at Harry's head. Harry had, of course, caught it and then thrown it into the air, where it still zoomed happily above the party, golden wings aflutter. For his gifts to people, he had stuck with his profession, a magical healers first-aid kit.

Hermione had thrown a small fit at Ginny's gift; she had unwrapped a book and was saying thank you when she opened the card and some paper fell out. She snatched it up, examined it and then slammed it into the book she had already opened, turning, what Teddy's book would have called, the shade of hibiscus pink. "Ginny!" She hissed in a furious whisper. Ginny, who had watched the whole thing with anticipation on her face, was sliding off the couch she was laughing so hard. "What?" She finally gasped through her laughter. "Don't you like it?" Hermione didn't reply but primely set the book aside and smacked Harry's hand with her wand when he tried to take it. From the look in her eye, it was decided that the book was best left alone.

The morning passed into afternoon, people were busy preparing the dinner with Kreacher or playing with new gifts. Draco was absorbed in a book of medicinal plants and their uses, a gift from his Aunt, when he heard the call to dinner. He stood and stretched, marking his place in the book. He looked over at Hermione, the only one left in the living room; she was lost in her own book. He took the wreath off his head and threw it at her. "Oi, poindexter." To his delight, the wreath actually landed on top of her head.

She looked up distractedly. "Hm?"

Draco wished he hadn't thrown it. With her hair pulled into a loose braid, curled up in the chair with her book, the wreath in her hair, and an absent look on her face, she looked comfortably beautiful.

Draco swallowed. "Um." He inwardly tried to wrestle his heart back down to a normal pace. "Dinner." He managed in an unusually high voice.

"Oh, right!" Hermione uncurled herself, setting the book down. "Thanks."

"No problem." Draco muttered darkly, rubbing his chest.

She gave him a strange look as she walked by; he stood there, still trying to calm himself. After resuming some control over his face, he turned and almost ran into her in the doorway to the table, she was looked up curiously. "What is that?"

Draco's still thudding heart scrabbled up his throat and strangled his wind pipe as his head snapped up in alarm. There was a small green plant with white berries blooming suddenly in the doorway. " _Incendio!"_ Draco's wand was in his hand and the plant was curling down in gray ashes before Hermione could look any closer.

"What in-!" She jumped back in alarm, bumping into Draco. "What was that for?!"

"Um…." Draco's mind scrambled for an excuse. "Venomous Tentacula." Was the only plant he could currently think of.

"In the house?" Hermione looked down at the ash skeptically.

"It's Christmas, why not?" Draco said hurriedly, brushing past her to the table.

Ginny leaned over towards him. "Spoilsport." She whispered.

"Weasley." Draco growled, turning so his nose was inches from hers. "If you didn't have an infant son who depended on you, I would happily see you to an early grave for that."

Ginny grinned and tutted, Draco was reminded of the Weasley twins. "You could try. But I've been known to be quick to the draw." She waggled her wand between her fingers. "You remember that bat boogey hex I put on you, don't you?"

Draco grimaced, he did remember.

Dinner went well, without any unexpected plants blooming overhead, Draco kept checking out of the corner of his eyes, just in case.

"So, have you had any progress on the potion?" Harry asked Draco as they rounded the deserts.

"Finally, I think I do." Draco said, allowing a small amount of smugness into his voice. "I've been working with the salamander skin and it seems to have promise, I just need to find something as a catalyst for the change."

"Good!" Harry sounded relieved. "Glad you had a breakthrough."

"Me too." Draco said tiredly.

"I was um, thinking, because it's Christmas, if you wanted me to use your first potion to fix the rest of your scars…." He fiddled uncomfortably with his fork. "It is my fault they're there in the first place."

"I think he should keep them." Ginny piped up. "Gives him a rugged, tough look. What do you think, Hermione?"

Hermione jumped slightly, the wreath sliding sideway on her hair. "What?"

"Draco's scars, do you think he would look better with them or without them?" Ginny repeated.

"Oh, I don't know, I think he's fine….healthy either way. They don't impose on his health so it's really a question of aesthetics."

Draco thought she was talking unusually fast.

"So aesthetically." Ginny pressed on. "With or without the scars?"

"Don't really matter, it's up to him." Hermione said. She was glaring at Ginny who was smiling sweetly back.

Draco looked from one to the other confused. He looked up at Harry, who looked just as confused, he caught Draco's eye and shrugged. Aunt Andromeda rolled her eyes and gave Ginny a reproving glance. "Leave her alone, Ginny."

"I actually want to keep them for now, I've been using them as the first human test for my potions." Draco replied finally.

"Fair enough." Harry shrugged. "Just let me know."

It got late and Draco found himself thanking the Potters, ruffling Teddy's bonemeal white hair and hugging his aunt goodbye.

He stood in the door, his arms full of his gifts and turned to thank them all. "It was, well….it was nice." He said after a grudging moment. "Thanks for letting me join."

Harry nodded and half smiled. "Merry Christmas, Malfoy."

Malfoy turned and walked into the street. "Merry Christmas, Potter." He called over his shoulder. He apparated to the manor. He stood outside, looking at the imposing building while snow fell gently around him. His eyes traveled around the dark, empty windows, the wild ivy growing out of control around the pillars, and the closed doors. He sighed. Maybe he should buy a flat close to St. Mungo's, he thought as he made a path towards the back door.


	12. The Photo

"Well done, Malfoy!" Goldenrod nodded her approval as she examined a man's healed arm. "You're rather proficient at healing breaks now."

The man said his thanks as Goldenrod ushered him towards the lobby. "No problem, sir. All in a day's work." She waved goodbye.

Draco dipped his quill into the ink and finished up the chart. "It wasn't too hard to fix, but I don't think he's going to try riding two brooms at once again."

In spite of himself, Draco was in rather a good mood. His tests with the salamander skin was coming along, Goldenrod had solved the problem of the skin sliding off by suggesting Rowan sap. He felt he was a few tweaks away from a completed product, from being able to give it to Hermione. His internship was drawing to a close and his skills with healing had been noticeable getting better, Goldenrod encouraging him along like a hovering mother bird. He also had managed to get the ghoul out of the attic and was sleeping better. The nightmares were still frequent but he found he was able to fall asleep eventually after them.

"You look cheery." Goldenrod narrowed her eyes at him as they walked back to the waiting room for another patient. "Is it a girl?"

"Hm, what? No, no." Draco stammered. "Just a good day."

"Hm, well, good for you." She said with a curt nod. "You look less ghostly." She peeked into the room they would use. "Why don't you go ahead and get the patient, I'll go prep the room, I think there may be some feathers in here still."

Draco nodded taking the clipboard from here and pushing the door open with his foot. The waiting room was half full of people holding various injuries. Draco glanced down at the parchment. "Zacharias Smith."

A young blonde man stood up and then stopped as he caught sight of Draco. "I'm not going anywhere with you." He declared in a loud voice. "Snake."

Draco looked at him over the chart he was holding. "Excuse me?"

The man drew himself up, cringing slightly and cradling a badly burnt arm. "You heard me, Slytherin."

"You must have been in Gryffindor." Draco drawled dryly.

"Hufflepuff." Zacharias sniffed. "But I know who you are, you're one of them! I wouldn't let you touch me even it meant my arm would fall off. There's no way I'm letting a Death Eater like you near me!" He was talking so loudly the whole room was turning to watch.

Draco felt hot fury wash over him all at once. "If you are uncomfortable with your healer-" He started, keeping his voice calm despite the urge to yank out his wand.

"What are you even doing here? You, a healer?! Trying to finish off muggle-borns, I bet. Still trying to finish your dead master's work?!" Zacharias's voice was rising in volume and pitch. "A death eater is always a death eater, murderer!"

There was a deadly silence in the room. Draco's impassive face and Zacharias's furious one faced each other across the room. "You killed my friends." Zacharias finished in an angry whisper that carried across the room.

"What is going on here?!" Goldenrod burst into the room behind Draco. "Who is disturbing the whole hospital?!"

Draco's eyes flickered around the room. Some people looked confused and alarmed, but he could see others. They were looking back at him with hardened eyes. "A Malfoy." He heard someone mutter. One mother drew her daughter closer to her side, eyeing Draco with fear. They hadn't forgotten. Draco's good mood evaporated into vapor, replaced with a cold, empty pit in his stomach. He could feel his left arm burning so much he thought his sleeve might catch fire.

"Why don't you go, Draco." Goldenrod whispered in his ear. "I'll take care of this."

Draco nodded, handed over the clipboard, turned on his heels and disappeared back down the hall without a backwards glance.

He spent the rest of the shift restocking the supply closet, numbness spreading through his fingers. Goldenrod came to find him after a while, but didn't say anything except that he was free to leave. And leave he did.

Draco held the glass loosely in one hand, head leaned back over the back of the couch, feet sprawled in front of him. There was a trail of a coat, shoes, socks and briefcase that lead from the back door to the library where he sat. He hadn't taken a drink, he had pulled out the bottle he saved for the darker moments, had poured it and left it, staring at the colorless liquid dancing with the firelight. He couldn't blame them, He really couldn't hold it against them, as much as he wanted to loosen their teeth when they hissed insults in his direction, they were right. He may hate them for it, resent the people who brought it up, but he was a death eater. He shifted his attention back up the family portrait, his mother smiled back down at him. The only reason he wasn't in Azkaban with his father was because his mother had appealed to the courts for him. He was underaged for half of the war and for the rest, she claimed, he did nothing except be in the wrong company. Draco sighed heavily, running a hand through his hair, this was the way his life had been, this was the way his life would be, except for…

There was a loud banging on the front door. Draco growled with annoyance, what now? The banging stopped and a few seconds later, the back door opened.

"Draco?!"

Draco slouched lower on the couch. Of course it was her, when he wanted to yell and scream and abuse someone, the one person to find him was the one he couldn't win an argument with. He wished Crabbe and Goyle were still around, they had been great punching bags.

There were footsteps along the hall and Hermione appeared, breathing hard, hair flying around the doorway. "You're here!"

"What is it?" He asked in a bored tone.

She looked a little stung at his cold greeting. "I….I wanted to make sure you were ok. George told me what happened."

"Oh?" He asked flatly.

"He gave himself unstoppable hiccups testing a new joke, he was in the waiting room and saw it happen." She said breathlessly.

"Well, I'm fine." Draco drawled. "No need to break into my house."

"The back door was open." She walked into the room, scrutinizing him. "I thought, I thought you would be more upset."

Draco looked up at her as she approached. "Sorry to disappoint you." He looked back at the fire. "It's not an uncommon occurrence, you get use to it." He said lightly.

"What?" Hermione gasped. "How often does that happen?!"

Draco shrugged. "Well, people don't stand up and scream 'Death Eater' at me but the looks, the cold shoulders, crossing to the other side of the road... Probably about once per outing."

Hermione looked horrified, her mouth slightly open. Draco gave a snort of laughter. "Really, you shouldn't be so surprised. You thought people would just kiss and makeup because the war was over?" He set down his untouched glass and rubbed his stinging left arm. "People don't forget, people don't forgive."

Hermione stood silently for a minute, watching him in disbelief before sinking to sit down next to him on the couch. "They can." She said quietly. "We can."

Draco tried to not look like he was inching away from her on the couch, trying to put distance between them.

"You already apologized to me, and I already accept your apology. It can happen."

Draco rubbed his cheek as he remembered. "I wasn't sure that was sincere, it felt a little backhanded." He muttered.

Hermione managed a small smile. "It was sincere. Harry was the one to bring it up. After the war, he changed quite a lot, I noticed. He was much less like his rash teenage self and more... more like Dumbledore was. Calm and peaceful. He felt that reaching out to you after everything that happened, might help everyone mend. I think he sensed regret in you, he told us what happened on the Astronomy tower. Harry believed you could be brought around. He was the one who told Teddy about you and made Teddy want to meet you." She said quietly.

Draco felt slightly shocked, but it wore away after he thought back to his conversation with Potter in the study, he supposed it made sense. Still, it was odd feeling, knowing all the changes that had happened to him since Teddy's birthday had been because of Harry. "You…." Draco folded his hands and examined the pattern on the carpet. "The lot of you, are the exception." He said finally. "For some reason, you seem able to...to look past my actions before." He glanced up at the portrait. "The world is not the same. They see me for what I am, a death eater, a criminal."

Hermione suddenly smacked him over the head with a book nearby.

"Ow!" Draco rubbed his head glaring at her sourly. "What was that for you-"

"I always restrained myself from hitting Harry over the head when he would wallow in his own misery. I couldn't resist this once." She smiled slightly, running her hands over the letters on the cover. "You were a death eater, Draco. You were a horrible classmate, you were selfish, you were a bigot, you were a bully, you were conceited, you thought _far_ too highly of your looks-"

"Hey!"

"-You were an arrogant little bastard of a pureblood." She finished the insults with a flourish.

"I'll have you write my eulogy." Draco growled darkly, his pale eyes spitting fire.

"But you're not anymore." Hermione reached over and put her hand over his. "You've changed a lot in the past year. you've started accepting people who reach out to you, you've become a healer, you beat someone half to death for insulting a muggleborn, you've befriended a werewolf's baby and your bitterest rival. Just because the world hasn't been around to see those changes doesn't mean they haven't happened." She paused, flushing a little. "You wouldn't have let me touch you a year ago, you would have yelled something about a filthy mudblood and set me on fire."

Draco's mouth twitched upwards slightly.

She withdrew her hand, fiddling with the book again. "The world may not have moved on, but you have, and there are people who know it. And, well, we're here for you when you need us." She finished quickly, turning even pinker.

Draco felt several feelings cluttering together in his chest, embarrassment for her praise, pleasure that she had been keeping an eye on him, disbelief that she thought that much of him, annoyance that he had been compared to a moody teeanger, and curiosity of why she looked so flustered.

While he was still sorting through the tangled threads of thought, he saw her pick the drink up and toss it back before he could stop her. "Wait!" Was out of his mouth three seconds too late.

She looked alarmed and confused. "What was that?"

"Absinthe." Draco said numbly, his jaw on the floor.

She looked suddenly horrified. "I thought it was water!"

"Didn't you taste it?!" He said incredulously.

"I drank it so fast." She said, her eyes widening. "Oh, no."

Draco stood quickly, the tangle of feelings forgotten. "We should get you home, before it kicks in."

"Isn't there a potion to counteract alcohol?" She asked. From the expression on her face you would have thought she had drank a deadly poison.

"Not that I have on hand, it also takes a week to brew." Draco collected up his coat. "Come on, you don't want to try to apparate while drunk, it's not fun and usually ends in splicing."

They apparated into an alley nearby her flat, after a minute, it was clear the alcohol was taking affect on her lightweight tolerance. She giggled as they were climbing the stairs to her flat. "Stairs are so funny, why do they always have such big holes, you could fall right through it." She slipped slightly, Draco steadied her by the elbow and ushered her upwards, trying not to enjoy himself too much; at least she wasn't a belligerent drunk, it hurt when she hit.

She fumbled for the key in her pocket. "I think it turned into dust." She said with a snort of laughter.

Draco pulled his wand out of his pocket. "Accio key." a silver key flew out of her pocket and he barely caught it before it disappeared over the landing.

"You caught the snitch!" She laughed. "Harry would be so proud."

"Yeah, you keep laughing, Granger. You'll sing a different song in the morning." Draco muttered as he unlocked the door.

He helped her to the couch, filled a mug from the sink and thrust it into her hands. "Drink, you'll need some water in your system."

He felt suddenly cold, something wanted to hurt him. He spun around to find Crookshanks sitting on the counter, glaring at Draco with malice, a growl issuing from his furry throat.

"It wasn't my fault!" Draco snapped. "I didn't think she would drink it."

Crookshanks only stared at Draco with accusatory eyes.

"Crookshanks!" Hermione dragged her cat off the counter and into her arms. "You're so fluffy." She buried her face in the fur. "Why can't men be fluffy like you?"

Draco thought briefly of Hagrid, he thought the giant fit the description nicely. He looked around the kitchen. "Where do you keep your potion ingredients?" He asked opening a cupboard.

"A chest in the corner of my room." She said absentmindedly. "Why is Ravenclaw's mascot an eagle and not a raven? It seems an obvious oversight, I wonder if anyone else noticed."

Draco cracked a small smile as he walked over to the bedroom, he burst out laughing when he opened the door. It was just as he had imagined, books neatly stacked around the headboard and the foot the bed, it looked like there was only a gap where she climbed into bed.

"What?" Hermione jumped up and skidded to a halt next to him. "Did I forget to pick up?"

Draco caught her before she hit the wall next to them. "Careful. No, it just, you must like your nighttime reading." He spotted the ingredients chest in the corner, he rummaged around until he found the ones he was looking for. He had become quite experienced in a few hangover cures in the past couple years.

He turned back to the door, Hermione was looking at him with an odd expression.

"What?"

"You laughed."

Draco blinked. "Yeah, so?"

"I don't think I've ever heard you laugh, well, laugh nicely. You laughed meanly a lot at school."

Draco felt his neck heat up and his heart squirmed painfully, he realized the whole room smelled like cinnamon. He brushed past her into the kitchen. "Well, there you go." He muttered hastily.

He mixed together the potion on her stove, Hermione sat on a stool asking random questions, making odd comments and laughing at her own words frequently. It wasn't the worst drinking experience someone could have, Draco thought. He glanced at her out of the corner of his eye as he turned off the heat. She looked flushed and her hair was flying in all directions, but she looked happy. The Slytherin in him wanted to convince her to go downstairs and try out all the joke boxes, he had a feeling it would be entertainment to last a lifetime. The healer in him tut-tutted the idea and reminded him of the wrath and fury that was sure to follow such an abusement of trust. His eyes slid over her face and down to her leggings. The Slytherin in him said this was a perfect time to make a move; something scaly purred in his chest at the idea. There was always the memory charm, she didn't have to remember a thing. Draco slammed the door on the thought forcefully, panicked he had even thought about it. He quickly looked back down at the blueish potion forcing his mind back to reality.

"Thanks." He said suddenly.

"Hm?" Hermione smiled. "What for?"

"For what you said earlier." Draco said quietly.

She looked alarmed. "What did I say? Was it nice?"

Draco smiled and laughed quietly. "Yeah, it was nice."

"Oh, good." She laughed with relief. She yawned.

Draco poured the potion into an empty bottle and capped it. "Right, I think you should lie down, you'll probably be out till tomorrow morning." He placed the bottle on her bed stand and wrote a quick note telling her what it was.

She followed, rubbing her eyes. "Thanks for your help." She mumbled. Before Draco could block her, she threw her arms around him and hugged him tightly. "You're nice sometimes."

Draco froze and then hastily pulled her off. "Um, thanks, I guess." He backed out of the room quickly and closed the door. He groaned silently and leaned against the door, he was starting to lose it. He quietly cleaned the mess he had made in the kitchen, watched by the malevolent cat. He was finished and pulling on his coat when something on the couch caught his eye. It was the book she had gotten from Ginny for Christmas. He glanced at the closed bedroom door. He had behaved himself, he deserved a little snooping, just to see what had embarrassed her so much at Christmas, if it was still in the book. He slipped over to the couch and flicked open the book, she was using something square as a bookmark, he turned it over.

The picture didn't register at first, he stared at it for several seconds before he realized he was looking at himself. Draco felt the blood in his body freeze and change directions. It was him, smiling down at James in his arms, the picture Ginny had taken at breakfast. Draco thought about moving, but the nerves in his legs had abandoned post and were residing in his pounding heart. Why did she have this? Why had Ginny given it to her? Why…..why…..no….no. He blinked. The scaly thing in his chest was clawing at his ribs and roaring something he couldn't understand. He couldn't understand it, he didn't get it. But. He looked back down at the picture. But, there it was. He glanced back at the bedroom door and then back at the photo. She couldn't…...


	13. Hermione

"Well, I suppose it could have gone worse." Ginny said soothingly. She placed a teacup next to Hermione, the only part that could be seen was a tangle of hair in her arms, her face buried into the table.

"Worse?" Her voice, though muffled, was clearly disbelieving. "I got blackout drunk, Ginny, in front of Draco! I can't remember what happened, what could have been worse?!"

"Could have woken up naked next to a goblin in an alley." Ginny said with a grin. Hermione lifted her head enough to glare at Ginny. "Not funny."

"Do you remember anything?"

Hermione put her head in her hands, squinting her eyes at the table. "Flashes. I remember drinking something, Draco yelling, appariting. I remember my key flying through the air for some reason. I…" She suddenly turned pink. "Something about his mouth." She mumbled.

"What about his mouth?" Ginny said eagerly.

"I don't know, something odd!" Hermione snapped, embarrassed. "And I think I remember him brewing the potion he left. That's it."

Ginny shrugged, unconcerned. "Doesn't seem like anything bad happened. You didn't wake up sore or bruised did you?"

"No!" Hermione bristled again. She sunk her head back to the table with a groan. "Sorry, Ginny, it's just all so, embarrassing!"

"I know." Ginny nodded. "But maybe it was a blessing in disguise, maybe seeing you in such a state made him think, "Hey, she's not an uptight know it all, she's kinda cute!""

"Who's kinda cute?" Harry walked into the kitchen, shuffling papers.

Hermione shook her head vigorously at Ginny.

"Oh, come on." Ginny pleaded. "Just tell him, he'll find out eventually."

"Tell me what?" Harry looked in confusion from one to the other.

Ginny nodded to Hermione's wand. "Show him!"

"No!" Hermione's face went red. "Not that, I don't even think I could cast it right now."

"What's going on?!" Harry asked again, now looking alarmed.

"Show him or I formally resign from S.P.E.W." Ginny threatened tossing her red hair over her shoulder.

"You wouldn't!" Hermione gasped. Ginny nodded solemnly. Hermione sighed and picked up her wand, trying to concentrate on a happy memory. The image of holding Draco's bleeding hand in hers while he told Teddy that mudblood was a terrible word rose unbidden to the forefront of her mind. She sighed and raised her wand. "Expecto Patronum."

Something medium sized landed next to her on the floor, its serpentine body coiled neatly on the floor.

Harry stared at it in confusion. "That's not an otter."

"I know." Hermione said miserably. "The otter was so much cuter."

Harry stepped around the table. "What is it?"

His questions was answered as the silver creature raised its horned head and bared its fangs at him, as if accusing him of being the source of his witch's depressed mood, wings flared out from its back.

Harry's mouth fell open. "It's….it's a dragon!"

Hermione buried her face back in her arms and the dragon disappeared in silver mist.

Harry's brain was still processing. "When did it change?"

"After Christmas." Ginny told him.

"But, who…" Harry's face suddenly went from confusion to shock. "No. Hermione, is it….Malfoy?"

Hermione only groaned again and didn't lift her head.

"But, why?" He said, his mouth still open in shock.

Ginny smacked him on the leg. "Harry!"

"Sorry, I'm sorry, Hermione. It's just, kinda unexpected." Harry said hastily. "I guess he's not terrible looking, now. And he's gotten..better."

Ginny smacked him again. "You're not helping!" She hissed.

Harry sat down next to his wife and stole her tea to occupy his mouth.

Hermione slowly raised her head, spinning her wand idly on the table. "I don't know. It started sometime last year, when we were testing the potion at Andromeda's house." She looked over at the wall. "He was really considerate, and nice to Teddy and….I just thought...he's changed a lot since school. He's well, not horrible anymore."

Harry didn't think that was a very high standard, but he also didn't think this was a moment to point that out, his wife was eyeing him dangerously.

"And it just, slowly grown from there, until..." She gestured helplessly at the place where the silver dragon had stood. "Not that it matters much, it's Draco, he won't think about it." Hermione's head drooped again.

Ginny suddenly giggled, Hermione's head snapped up and Ginny waved an apologetic hand. "Sorry, I just remember Tonks coming over, showing my mother her changed patronus and saying almost the exact same thing about Lupin."

"So there's hope." Harry said, determined to be helpful and nice after his dismal start to the conversation. "And I wouldn't say you didn't have a chance."

Both women homed in on him instantly. "What do you know, Potter?" Ginny said in a dangerously quiet voice.

Harry straightened up, alarmed. "Um, well. Just that, he seemed nice to you at Christmas." He said, sweat trickling down his back. _Don't tell Hermione_ , played over and over in his head. He wasn't even sure that conversation applied to the current situation. "And he's lucky you even like him, Hermione, honestly. He would be a fool to not think so."

Hermione gave him one of her fond smiles. "Thanks, Harry."

"You just need to go for it, Hermione." Ginny said nodding briskly. "That's what I had to do with Harry to get him to make a move."

"What?! I kissed you!" Harry said indignantly.

"Would you have kissed me if I hadn't hugged you after the game?" Ginny asked challengingly.

"Yes...eventually."

"That's my point, Hermione. You don't want to have to wait for 'eventually' so make the first move." Ginny tossed her hair again, she had a habit of doing that when she felt bossy. "If Draco is anything like Harry, he's going to need some encouragement." Harry looked offended but didn't argue.

Hermione suddenly went white and gasped. "The book!"

"What book?" Ginny asked.

"The book you gave me for Christmas, it was on my couch when he was there!" She looked horrified. "The picture…..I was using it for a bookmark!"

Ginny stifled a snort of laughter behind her hand. "Was it still there when you woke up?"

"Yes, but." Hermione's face went pink. "What if he looked in the book?"

"Then maybe that will be the push he needs or maybe he'll make fun of you till your dying day." Ginny shrugged airily. "Can't really do anything about it now."

Hermione sighed and stood up. "I should get home, I have to prepare for a job interview in a few days."

"Good luck, with that and the Draco thing." Ginny gave her an encouraging smile.

Hermione smiled tiredly and walked towards the door.

"And straightened your hair!" Ginny called after her. "It won't hurt your chances!"

She looked at Harry out of the corner of her eye as the door slammed. "Remember, if they end up together, I get to name the girl."


	14. The Scar

Draco waved his wand one more time around the counters, make sure they were clean, he looked around with a satisfied smirk, she couldn't complain about the kitchen now, it looked like a house elf had been taking care of it. He looked back up at the clock, she was late. He rubbed a finger over an imaginary spot on the counter, waiting, he wasn't good at waiting. There was finally the sound of someone apparating into the yard, Draco straightened up, smoothing a wrinkle out of his vest, he was nervous, he shouldn't be nervous, stop it. His nerves didn't improve when Hermione appeared around the back doorway, her hair neatly coiled on her head.

"Job interview?" He asked in what he hoped was his usual bored drawl.

She grinned, "Yes actually, and I think I'm going to take it. It would require a few years of training and study but that's no issue."

"So what is it?"

"Magical law!" She announced, straightening up importantly. "I think I found a way to help enact change in the system while defending those who need it!" She looked flushed with excitement.

"Well, good for you." Draco raised an eyebrow. "That won't be easy though."

"But it's the right thing!" She said eagerly. She was clearly not to be moved from this path. "And um, speaking of the right thing…." She looked down at her feet, suddenly shy. "I wanted to say thank you for last week, I don't really remember it clearly but I found the note you left me with the potion, it appears you took care of me in one of my….less thought out moments." She finished, still looking at the floor.

Draco had to hid a smirk. "It's not a problem, really the trouble paid for itself in entertainment."

Hermione's head snapped up, a look of dread and horror on her face. "Entertainment, what entertainment?" She asked quickly.

"Oh, not much, you're just very..chatty...when you've been drinking." Draco purred slightly, enjoying himself.

Her eyes widened, her face went white. "What did I say?!" She looked terrified.

"Oh, nothing terrible, you were worried about the state of your bedroom."

"My bedroom?! What were you doing in my bedroom?!" Hermione's voice hit an octave that Draco could barely hear.

"Getting ingredients for the potion, and leaving it for you." Draco said, "Unless of course…." He leaned forward on the counter, closer to her. "You were hoping something else happened." He said silkily with a vicious grin on his face.

Hermione's face skipped pink and went straight to maroon. "I….I never! You….horrible little sneak!" She managed to gasp out. "If that's what you called me for, to make fun of me, I think I'll be going!" She whisked around and marched for the door.

"Wait, wait, I'm sorry." Draco leaned further over and managed to grab one wrist. "Sorry, I couldn't resist. That's not what I asked you here for."

She stood with her arms crossed waiting. "Well?" She said huffily.

Draco started towards the library, waving for her to follow. "I've got something that might interest you." He was afraid for a second that she wouldn't follow, but it seemed her curiosity got the better of her and she followed cautiously. Once in the library, he picked up a small box he had put on the table and held it out to her. "For you."

She gave him a wary look as she took the box and opened it. She pulled out a small glass disk, it looked like a petri dish, in the middle was a shimmering rectangle. "What is-" Then her eyes flew open. "You finished it!" She said with a gasp. "It's complete?" She asked, looking up at him.

Draco allowed a prideful smirk. "Handed in my research and prototypes last week, it's being tested for public release."

Hermione turned it over, examining it. "Salamander skin, but it's a different color."

"Chameleon blood." Draco explained. "It helps the skin blend into whatever it's put on so you're not left with some awkward red and black rectangle of skin."

"Clever." She murmured still examining it. She paused and looked back at him. "Why are you giving it to me?"

"I thought that would be obvious. I wanted you to be the first to use it, well except for the times I used it on myself as a test. It's perfectly safe." Draco said trying to not sound too eager.

Hermione's face lost some of her excitement suddenly. "Did you, did you try it on your arm?" She asked hesitantly.

Draco pulled back his left sleeve to show a gray and still visible dark mark . "Yeah, but the brand is too deep. It probably wouldn't work for Potter's scar either, too powerful and cursed." He brushed his sleeve back down. "That's what happens when you let one of the world's most powerful wizards brand you." He shrugged. "But it should work for yours." He changed the subject, nodding to her arm. "Here I'll help-" He reached for the glass but Hermione drew it back, a closed look on her face. She looked almost shifty. "I, well I, I don't know."

Draco blinked. "You what?"

She shuffled her feet, looking distractedly at the carpet. "It's just, you can't get rid of yours, it seems unfair that I could get rid of mine." She said in a small whisper that he had to lean in to hear.

"Are you serious?" Draco asked, his eyebrows raising in disbelief. "You have a chance to get rid of a horrible scar and you don't want to because...because..because I can't get rid of my dark mark?!" He finished in a tone louder and more accusatory than he meant. "They're completely different!"

"They're not!" Hermione said a little sternness in her voice. "You keep saying that my scar is your fault, but you didn't give it to me. You just..." She rubbed her arm and looked over at the bookshelves. "...just didn't intervene."

Draco felt the familiar cold guilt as she rubbed her arm, not looking at him.

"But..but the same goes for yours." She continued. "If we hadn't been so set on hating you, if we had just tried to get to know you…"

Draco's mouth fell open in disbelief as she talked.

"We knew something was wrong during sixth year. You looked so tired and, and pale and worried. We could have tried to...talk to you-"

"I wouldn't have let you." Draco interrupted. "I wouldn't have listened to you."

"It doesn't matter!" Hermione shouted across him. Draco was startled to see tears in her eyes. "We didn't try." She finished in a whisper.

They stood in tense silence, Hermione's arms crossed defiantly, looking anywhere but Draco; Draco's arms dangled at his sides as he stared at her in shock.

"You can't possibly blame yourself for my decision, Hermione. It's almost arrogant to think that." Draco said, a little cooly. "I was a conceited brat, I wouldn't have listened to anyone, hell, I didn't listen to Snape and he was a death eater too."

He felt his shocked anger fade as a tear dripped from her face to the carpet. Draco sighed and took a step forward reaching for her arm. "You stubborn Gryffindors." He said gently. "It's not about being fair." Hermione didn't release her arm, still looking at the carpet. "There's a lot we don't get that we deserve, and a lot we get that we don't deserve."

Her head snapped up, alarm at having her own words thrown back at her. Draco smiled slightly, tugging her arm again. "I made a lot of stupid decisions, one was to allow a terrible man to brand me, but it was my choice." Hermione finally allowed him to take her arm, he pushed her sleeve up with his long fingers, brushing against the word _mudblood_ as he did. "You made a lot of stupidly brave decisions, one was to protect our world from a terrible man, and you got cut by a crazy witch because of it." He picked up her other hand which still held the glass disk in it. "I... and I made a choice not to stop her. All I'm asking, is a chance to set things right." He twisted the top off and tossed it on the couch. He leaned forward and tapped her forehead with his, emboldened by the memory of the picture in the book. "So shut up and accept it, you git." he whispered.

Hermione's face broke into a sheepish grin and she laughed quietly. "You cunning Slytherins, using my own arguments against me."

"It's our best trait."

She gave a slight nod and sniffed. "Alright."

Draco lifted his head and took her arm more firmly. "Just don't move, this sticks to whatever it touches first." He carefully lined the bandage up over her scar and then pressed it down. It shimmered a bluish silver for a moment and then slowly faded to the color of Hermione's skin, the accusatory _mudblood_ fading with it.

Draco ran a finger over the place experimentally, it was smooth new skin. He let her go so she could examine it herself. She lifted it up to her face and ran her other hand over it. "It's wonderful!" She breathed. "A lot of people will benefit from it." She looked up, meeting his eyes for the first time. "You should be proud of yourself."

He allowed a smirk back on his face, drinking in the admiration on hers. "Oh, I am."

She rolled her eyes and then stepped forward, flinging her arms around his neck and hugging him. "Thank you."

Draco felt his insides turn a somersault as he cautiously put his arms around her, hugging her back. He tried to think of a comeback, a reply, but his mind was too busy with the warmth in arms. All he could think of was what the scaly creature was whispering in his chest, I'm not letting go.

After a heartbeat, Hermione pulled back, but Draco didn't release her. She tried to step back, but he curled his arms more tightly around her, burying his blonde head into her shoulder. "Um, Draco, you can let go now." Hermione's voice squeaked slightly.

Draco could hear her breathing speed up, He smiled to himself, Hermione Granger, of all people, getting flustered over him. If only his fourth year self could see him now. "I know." He said finally. "But I'm not." He felt Hermione tense, her arms and back going stiff. He waited, doubting himself suddenly, what if he was wrong? What if he made a mistake? Merlin, this was embarrassing if-

Hermione gave a slightly exasperated sigh and then her arms reached back around his shoulders, her head leaning against his. Draco felt the blood in his body go cold with adrenaline.

"Conceited garden snake." She murmured softly.

"Insufferable know-it-all." He whispered back.

He loosened his grip on her so she could step back, but he linked his hands behind her back, he wasn't letting her go, now that he finally had her. She leaned back far enough to look at him. His pale gray eyes stared down at her brown eyes, a determined look in them. Her face was pink but equally determined. "You're not letting go." She said finally, it was a statement instead of a question.

Draco pulled her forward until his forehead tapped hers. "Not anymore." He put a hand on her chin and lowered his face toward hers. Barely daring to breath, he pressed his lips to hers, feeling heat rush through his body. To his relief, he felt her hands run up his arms and press against his neck as she returned his kiss. He had been right.

She pulled back slightly, "You're mine now, Malfoy." She said with a grin.

Draco pulled her closer. "Happily."


	15. Afterwards

"Scorpious? Really, Hermione?"

"We agreed he got to name the first born son." Hermione snapped at Harry. "Don't even get me started on your sons' names."

Teddy leaned over the small bundle of blankets, wrinkling his nose. "He looks too much like Uncle Draco."

Harry nodded in agreement. "He does, Teddy, he does. I don't know Hermione, maybe you should drop him off with my aunt and uncle, try for one that looks more like you-!"

Harry suddenly found himself upside down in the air, suspended by his ankle. "I'm sorry, Potter." Draco twiddled his wand idely. "It sounded to me like you were threatening the wellbeing of my child. And I have to tell you." He stepped forward, poking Harry in the forehead with the wand. "If I hear such a thing again, your sons are going to grow up in a similar predicament as their father."

Harry was busy holding his glasses on his face. "Fatherhood has made you mean."

"I think you mean protective." Draco brushed aside the insult as he waved the wand and let Harry fall to the floor with a thud.

"Draco." Hermione said, her eyebrows drawn together disapprovingly.

Draco smiled charmingly back. "Yes, Dear?"

"Don't wake up the baby, I just got him to sleep."

Draco stepped over Harry to put an arm around her. "Wouldn't dream of it."

But Scorpius, deaf to wants and desires, woke up with a disgruntled wail. Hermione's shoulders slumped. "He's going to be put in Slytherin, I just know it."

Draco leaned down and picked up his son with a now practiced ease. "He'd better, if he knows what's good for him." He brushed his son's white-blonde fuzz softly with one hand. "You'll be a great Slytherin."

"That's seems a contradiction of terms." Harry whispered to Hermione. He went quiet when he saw Draco eye him while reaching for his wand.

Draco's eyes moved to his wife, who was yawning. He kissed her on top of the head. "Why don't you get some rest, I'll watch him for a while."

Hermione smiled tiredly up at him and reached up to kiss him on the cheek. "Thanks, love you."

Draco didn't think he would ever tire of hearing her say that. "Love you too." He watched her go, contentment warming his chest. He was pulled from his happiness by a gagging sound. Teddy was sticking a finger on his throat and Harry was pulling a face. "I agree, Teddy, makes you sick just watching them."

"No one asked you trolls." Draco hissed. "I don't know why Hermione even let you in the door."

"Cause little Scorpius is going to need some good influences in his life." Teddy said piously.

Draco opened his mouth to reply when his son gave a discontent murmur and squirmed slightly, bringing Draco's attention back down to him. "Sorry, just dealing with the rift-raft we call family." He rocked his son gently as he walked towards the library ruffling Teddy's blue hair as he walked past. "They grow on you, you'll see."

End

 **A/N: It all started when I couldn't find a decent Dramione story. I felt like I couldn't find one that kept Draco, well, Draco. So I felt I should take a try at it, a story where Hermione and Draco could fall in love with each other, but still remain true to their characters. I knew Draco would have to change and have a redemption of some kind, but I tried to keep him true to his Slytherin nature. I hope you enjoyed reading it as much as I enjoyed writing it. Thank you to everyone who followed the story and reviewed it, I read every single one and they were the fuel to keep me updating frequently. Also, a shout out to my numberonefangirl Joel, Sorry about chapter 10, I couldn't help myself.**

 **It's been fun, thanks for reading it! Mint.**


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